2017 Ford Explorer Suspension, Wheels & Tires Problems
NHTSA lists 127 suspension, wheels & tires complaints for the 2017 Ford Explorer, 8% of all complaints that year, tied to 5 crashes and 4 injuries at a median 21,000 miles. Four related recalls cover rear suspension toe link fractures and cross-axis ball joint issues.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints
- 127
- 8% of 1,691
- Crashes reported
- 5
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 4
- Median mileage
- 21,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 4
Typical suspension symptoms owners report
- Rear suspension toe links fracture, sometimes at highway speed, causing loss of steering control and crashes.
- OEM Hankook Ventus S1 Noble 2 tires show premature tread peeling, chipping, and shredding well before their rated tire life.
- Front passenger side control arm has detached while driving, followed by tire failure and vehicle stall.
- Tire sidewalls have suffered sudden catastrophic failure at low speed and low mileage.
- Dealers have told some owners tires needed full replacement due to unsafe tread wear discovered during routine service.
When 2017 Ford Explorer suspension complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 23, 2017, latest Sep 15, 2026.
Suspension, Wheels & Tires recalls for the 2017 Ford Explorer
- NHTSA 26V101000Feb 20, 2026Suspension, Wheels & Tires412,774 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
- NHTSA 21V537000Jul 15, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires631,176 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Risk: A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
- NHTSA 20V675000Mar 12, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires454,941 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired under a prior recall numbers 16V-245 or 19V-435. The outboard section of a rear suspension toe link may fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S62.
- NHTSA 19V435000Jun 10, 2019Suspension, Wheels & Tires1,194,173 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk: A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints by Explorer model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the 2017 Ford Explorer have a suspension recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists four related recalls, including 19V435000, 20V675000, 21V537000, and 26V101000, covering rear suspension toe link fractures and cross-axis ball joint knuckle problems on 2011-2019 and 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles.
- How many suspension, wheels & tire complaints does the 2017 Explorer have?
- NHTSA lists 127 complaints in this area for the 2017 model year, which is 8% of the 1,691 total complaints filed for that year.
- At what mileage do these suspension problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 21,000 miles.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these suspension issues?
- NHTSA data shows 5 crashes and 4 injuries associated with suspension, wheels & tires complaints on the 2017 Explorer, with no fires reported.