YearToAvoid

2018 Ford Explorer Recall List

7 safety recall campaigns on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Ford Explorer, affecting structure & body, suspension, wheels & tires, other, and fuel system. Recall repairs are free at any authorized Ford dealer.

Recall campaigns
7
Do Not Drive
0
Park Outside
0
Over-the-air fixes
0
Latest report
Jul 14, 2026
Owner complaints
731

All 2018 Ford Explorer recalls

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. NHTSA 26V448000Jul 14, 2026Structure & Body288,314 vehicles

    Structure:body

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 25V685000Oct 10, 2025Other59,006 vehicles

    Equipment:electrical:engine block heater

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

    Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

  4. NHTSA 24V031000Jan 19, 2024Structure & Body1,889,110 vehicles

    Structure:body:roof and pillars

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

    Risk: A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.

  5. NHTSA 21V316000May 5, 2021Structure & Body616,967 vehicles

    Structure:body

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.

  6. NHTSA 19V633000Aug 28, 2019Structure & Body639,137 vehicles

    Seats:mid/rear assembly

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.

  7. NHTSA 18V807000Nov 14, 2018Fuel System144 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.5L GTDI engine. Due to an assembly error, the fuel pressure sensor may leak fuel.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 7, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S35.

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the 2018 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Explorer, covering structure & body, suspension, wheels & tires, other, and fuel system.
Are 2018 Ford Explorer recall repairs free?
Yes. Under U.S. law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls free of charge at authorized dealers, regardless of the vehicle’s age or how many owners it has had. Use the VIN check to see which campaigns are still open on a specific car.
What is the most recent recall on the 2018 Ford Explorer?
The most recent campaign is NHTSA 26V448000, reported Jul 14, 2026, concerning the structure & body.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.