1,722 of the
43,316 complaints filed about the Ford Explorer
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1999.
1,722
Complaints
100%
Share of all complaints
11
Crashes
65
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
Seal around the panoramic sunroof is failing and has caused loud wind noises and lack of proper weather seal. Vehicle has 7000 miles and this has randomly started. Loud wind whistle noise occurs now 100% of the time when speed reaches 35mph and stays present at higher speeds.
NHTSA complaint #11762361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was a crack in the front windshield and water was leaking into the vehicle. The contact was concerned about the electrical system failing from becoming wet. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure) and 26V448000 (Structure). The local was contacted in person, and the contact was advised that the parts were on back order. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was qualified for the repair. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and informed the contact that parts were not available.
NHTSA complaint #11761670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rearview backup camera on my vehicle has malfunctioned and does not reliably display an image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The manufacturer sent an official Customer Satisfaction Program notice acknowledging this as a known defect and offering a one-time no-charge replacement, stating parts availability was limited only until October 2026. When I brought the vehicle to an authorized dealership for the repair, the dealership was unable to complete it due to lack of parts and told me parts would not be available until February 2027, several months beyond what the manufacturer's own notice stated. This creates an ongoing safety risk since I cannot reliably see behind the vehicle while backing up, increasing the risk of collision with pedestrians, other vehicles, or objects. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership's service department, which confirmed the camera issue during a service visit but could not resolve it due to parts unavailability. There were no dashboard warning lights specifically tied to this defect; the camera simply fails to display a reliable image when reverse is engaged. The component is available for inspection upon request. I have not yet received a corrected repair timeline from the manufacturer despite formally raising this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11761664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The panoramic sunshade on our 2023 Ford Explorer bunches up and dips down into the rear passenger compartment when being retracted, obstructing rear visibility when using the rear view mirror or looking over your shoulder.
NHTSA complaint #11759896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear wiper was working intermittently now it does not work at all. I notice campaign 26S14 (NHTSA Campaign 26V117) but my vin is not included. Even though I have the same problem
NHTSA complaint #11757133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front windshield wipers were inoperable. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that a remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
NHTSA complaint #11756526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Backup camera does not work properly. Sometimes it’s showing objects behind me backwards (safety concern) like it’s showing I’m on the opposite side of where I’m trying to park/back up and sometimes it doesn’t work at all (flickering screen/black/gives notification to contact dealer). I have taken it to our local dealer for an approved inspection that it does not work & was told there’s no fix for it yet. No warning sign that this was coming- I had to look up the recall myself.
NHTSA complaint #11755533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rearview camera reverses and inverts the image and the guiding lines disappear. I am unable to use the camera when reversing. There is a recall on other Ford Explorers (2020-2024) just not my year (2013). It is not right that I drive a car that has the same issue becuse this is a known issue for the company.
NHTSA complaint #11753942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Known defect among Explorer owners. The shade for the sunroof runs along tracks. That track is Known to fail causing the sunshade to fall down and blocks visibility out the rear windshield and inability to use the rear view mirror effectively. My vehicle was unsafe to drive until going to the dealership. They checked it and left it hanging down until I requested for it to be amended before driving home. They noted this is a known issue to Ford. They said the only way to fix it was to install a brand new system & there was no minor fix to components.
NHTSA complaint #11753818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his spouse was attempting to retract the moonroof shade, the shade failed to retract and sagged down, obstructing the driver's visibility of the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the moonroof shade roller clips needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
NHTSA complaint #11753266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
25V347 and 24V031 I recieved a notice of the first recall in February 2024. Over the Summer of 2024 and 2025 both the A-pillar and B-pillar trim has melted and become detached from the vehicle during high heat warnings and during my commute to work on the interstate 60 miles each day. Parts from the vehicle flew off at high rates of speed and were at risk to others on the road. For 2.5 years now I have driven a duct taped windshield on both drivers and on the passenger sides windows and on the tops of the door frames. The windshield rattles on the interstate--I feel this is dangerous. I have now recieved my 3rd factory recall: 25N17 Every day I drive this duct taped FORD, it is cemented in my mind that I will never purchase another Ford or Ford related product.
NHTSA complaint #11753159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle unexpectedly rolled forward while the vehicle was in park(P). Due to the failure, the contact was forced to engage the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling forward while in park(P). The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility) and 26V402000(Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not available. The dealer was notified of the recalls and confirmed that parts were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
NHTSA complaint #11752986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my 2026 Ford Explorer on the highway, the panoramic roof glass made an abnormally loud noise and completely shattered without any impact from an object or other vehicle. No other cars were nearby. The protective shade remained in place and no glass entered the cabin. This appears to be a spontaneous failure of the tempered glass. I have already located a nearly identical NHTSA complaint on another 2026 Ford Explorer (Campaign 11734759). The vehicle is currently undrivable in normal conditions and is being repaired through insurance. I am concerned this is a known defect with the panoramic roof glass on 2026 Explorers.
NHTSA complaint #11752943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There are 2 recalls that have not been acted on by Homer Skelton Ford of Millington, LLC. It has been almost two years and the dealership continues to state they do not have the parts to fix the recalls. The two recalls are not indicated as active, so I’m not sure if they claimed they already fixed them in their system. The recalls are for the rubber around the windshield and the panels near the windshield.
NHTSA complaint #11752498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Recall for faulty rearview camera. Still has no remedy. Mine is giving issues. Glitches, freezes, and displays error message to contact dealership. Has almost caused multiple accidents. Have spoken to dealership. With no remedy from ford they want to charge me a fortune to replace and reprogram the camera system.
NHTSA complaint #11752238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V685000 (Equipment), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact was concerned that the incomplete recalls presented significant safety risks, specifically because the contact resided in Alaska, where it rained constantly with low temperatures. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11752205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front windshield wiper motor on my 2020 Ford Explorer is experiencing severe intermittent failure and physical binding/clunking while in operation, resulting in a total loss of front visibility while driving in rain. This failure matches the exact root cause and symptoms described in Ford Safety Recall 26S14 / NHTSA Campaign 26V117 (intermittent wiper function progressing to complete electrical continuity failure due to internal terminal misalignment). However, Ford claims my specific VIN falls just outside their designated production date window, leaving my vehicle uncovered under the safety recall despite suffering from the identical defect. Although Ford confirmed there is an active Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) listed for my vehicle's wiper motor, severe supply chain restrictions and dealership backlogs have prevented repairs. Ford has placed a restricted distribution hold on replacement motors, preventing independent shops and local dealers from securing parts, while requiring a multi-day diagnostic wait during which I am expected to drive a vehicle with non-functioning wipers. Driving a vehicle with active, unpredictable wiper failure poses an immediate safety hazard and severe crash risk. Ford's refusal to expand recall coverage or immediately supply unrestricted safety components leaves vehicle owners exposed to hazardous driving conditions. Furthermore, customers face a mandatory four-day intake period solely for vehicle diagnostics. To qualify for a wiper motor replacement under warranty guidelines, Ford requires the motor to experience total failure while under dealership care. If technicians are unable to duplicate the fault condition during testing, the vehicle is returned to the owner without repair, leaving an ongoing safety hazard completely unresolved. I have also contacted Ford Corporate and filed a formal complaint and that was of no assistance.
NHTSA complaint #11751765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V675000 (Power Train), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle with the foot on the brake pedal, the gear shifter was shifted to park(P), and the vehicle unexpectedly reversed and crashed into a nearby brick mailbox and came to a stop. There were no injuries or medical attention needed. A Police report was not filed. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled while parking the vehicle. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 87,159.
NHTSA complaint #11751786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front windshield wiper was operating intermittently. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); and associated the failure with the recall. However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11751835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.