YearToAvoid

2019 Ford Explorer Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 26 engine complaints for the 2019 Ford Explorer, 9% of its 296 total complaints that year. There is no related engine recall on file, and the median mileage at failure was 45,500.

Engine complaints
26
9% of 296
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
45,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a strong exhaust or fuel odor entering the cabin, often worse under hard acceleration or highway speeds.
  • Some describe fuel leaking from improperly attached fuel lines or clamps shortly after purchase.
  • Several note a loud clicking or ticking noise from the engine, especially when accelerating, that dealers said they fixed but persisted.
  • A few report sudden loss of power or stalling at highway speed, in one case traced to a faulty water pump.
  • One owner reported the vehicle shutting down and being unable to restart after highway driving, initially blamed on the battery.
  • One case involved carbon monoxide entering the cabin during extended idling, linked to improper exhaust welds.

When 2019 Ford Explorer engine complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 2, 2019, latest Sep 3, 2026.

2019 Ford Explorer engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2019Jul 2019Jan 2022Jun 2024Dec 2024Mar 2025Aug 2025Apr 2026
26 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Jan 2022 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2019 Ford Explorer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Explorer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201031 (27%)
  2. 2011113 (9%)
  3. 2012103 (12%)
  4. 2013316 (14%)
  5. 2014272 (16%)
  6. 2015299 (17%)
  7. 2016530 (22%)
  8. 2017317 (19%)
  9. 2018129 (18%)
  10. 201926 (9%)
  11. 2020162 (13%)
  12. 202169 (16%)
  13. 202238 (14%)
  14. 202313 (12%)
  15. 20241 (5%)
  16. 202514 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2019 Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA lists 26 engine complaints for the 2019 Explorer, which is 9% of all 296 complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Ford Explorer engine?
No related engine recall is listed in the NHTSA data for the 2019 Ford Explorer.
At what mileage do engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2019 Explorer is 45,500 miles, though several sample complaints occurred at much lower mileage.
What is the most common engine complaint on the 2019 Explorer?
Owners most often report exhaust or fuel odor entering the cabin, along with clicking noises and occasional loss of power while driving.
Were there any injuries linked to engine problems?
NHTSA data shows 1 injury associated with engine complaints for the 2019 Ford Explorer, with no crashes or fires reported.

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.