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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
31,539 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2017 Ford Explorer drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2017 Ford Explorer Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #65

Feb 012024

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At somewhere between 100k-123k the water pump started leaking. This was noticed by smelling a faint smell of coolant after driving. Additionally a small leak of orangish fluid was noticed under engine (front passenger side). Given the symptoms I had the vehicle taken to a Ford dealer for inspection where it was confirm from a system pressure test that the water pump had a leak. Additionally I was just outside my warrant coverage to have this covered by Ford (within the years, outside the mileage). After researching, I have found that many others have the same compliant and even a class action has been attempted. Ford needs to offer a recall for this very cost repair and known issue. Water pump failure could cause engine damage, resulting in vehicle failure while operating, which puts the operator at risk on the side of the road or while operating at highway speeds.

- Granville, OH, USA

problem #64

Dec 142023

Explorer

  • miles
While driving my 2017 Ford Explorer, There was a smell of burnt oil/tire entering my vehicle through the vents. I took it in to the Ford Dealership and I was advised that I needed a brand new transfer case, and the front engine mounts needed to be replaced due to broken seals. This was causing transmission fluid to leak onto other parts (hot) which was causing the smell while I was driving. My vehicle is at 89,000 miles, and if I don't get this replaced, then it will cause transmission failure. I was told that this should not happen on a vehicle with 89,000 miles. The leaking fluid can also cause a fire under the hood. When asked why or how this could happen, I was told it just wasn't "built" well. Cost of repairs will be about $4,500. WOW.

- Maplewood, MN, USA

problem #63

Jan 192024

Explorer

  • 129,828 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, there was a whirling sound while shifting gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic and was diagnosed with a failed transmission. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact stated that the started was previously replaced by the Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic. The contact was informed that the transmission was dropped to access the starter switch for the repair. The starter switch was replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken back to Villages Transmission & Auto Clinic because the heat was inoperable however, the vehicle mis-diagnosed with a failed water pump. The contact stated that the mechanic dropped the transmission to replace the water pump. While replacing the water pump, the mechanic replaced the valve cover gasket, spark plugs, crank shaft seal kit front, antifreeze, and timing chain kit. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 129,828.

- Edmonds, WA, USA

problem #62

Dec 282023

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle shutters, jerks and loses acceleration between 50 to 60 miles per hour. Can cause accident with other vehicles behind on freeway or any other circumstance. Have had vehicles behind me almost ram the back of my vehicle when this happens. No warning lights on dash. 12/27/23 Dealer says it-??s the Torque Converter. Issue occurs every time during acceleration and deceleration. Has been going on for several years but I didn-??t know it was an actual transmission problem. Dealer told me when I purchased vehicle that the car had to learn my driving habits and that-??s all it is. Has not been inspected by anyone other than dealer

- Belleville , MI, USA

problem #61

Nov 262023

Explorer

  • 126,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. After restarting the vehicle, the failure reoccurred. The contact added transmission fluid to the vehicle and later the vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence; however, the failure later reoccurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 126,000.

- Pitkin, LA, USA

problem #60

Nov 172023

Explorer

  • miles
Transmission is shuttering, had it checks by River City Ford and the tech advised the Torque converter needed to be replaced. After research, the recall 20N07 in October 9, 2020 for torque converter issues was found. After reading the document, the same issues, same motor same transmission is happening to my vehicle. The issues are as stated, vehicles that experience adverse NVH, vibration and/or rough idle in Drive or Reverse, low performance / lack of acceleration during launch, sluggish vehicle operation and shudder while driving. However my vehicle is doing the same thing, has the same 2.3L engine with the 6F35 transmission, but it is not on the recall list. NHTSA should step us and add all Ford Explore with that year, engine and transmission to this recall since the same issues are happening.

- Branchland, WV, USA

problem #59

Oct 232023

Explorer

  • 144,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 144,000.

- Mound Valley, KS, USA

problem #58

May 212021

Explorer

  • 57,850 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating from a stationary position. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with a faulty transmission. The transmission was rebuilt. The vehicle later experienced a fractured transmission bracket and was towed to the local dealer. The transmission and transmission bracket were replaced but the check engine warning light continued to illuminate. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine had experienced coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 57,850.

- Woodbridge, VA, USA

problem #57

Sep 302023

Explorer

  • miles
While driving cross country, driver began to experience lag in acceleration and delayed shifting. In some cases, noted transmission was not down shifting. At destination, the check engine light came on and we took the vehicle into a Ford dealership for repair. It should be noted that there was a low coolant light just prior to the trip and we filled up approximately a quart to bring it back to serviceable limits. The dealer called after several hours to explain the car would need a new 2.3L EcoBoost engine and new Automatic transmission. The engine had evidence of coolant in the engine/oil. The transmission was diagnosed to have a failure of an internal component. The vehicle was been regularly serviced for the 79000 miles with no previous warning lights. We currently have the vehicle in our garage trying to decide if it's worth fixing for $25000 quoted by the dealer.

- Cookeville, TN, USA

problem #56

Jul 012023

Explorer

  • miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shutoff without warning. The contact coasted the vehicle into a neighboring driveway, and the vehicle was later towed to the residence. The contact had several independent mechanics inspect the vehicle and each diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for additional assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Winston, GA, USA

problem #55

Nov 032022

Explorer

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle would not properly shift gears while attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 60,000.

- Universal City, TX, USA

problem #54

Jul 072023

Explorer

  • 96,626 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while approaching a stop light the vehicle was shaking violently. The contact shifted into neutral, and the shaking stopped. While shifting into drive or reverse, the vehicle shuddered and was shaking and then stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter was faulty, and the transmission cooler line and plate needed to be replaced. The dealer informed him that the transmission line was contaminated. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and referred him to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 96,626.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #53

Jan 262023

Explorer

  • miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was jerking while shifting from park(P) to drive(D), and while shifting from drive(D) to park(P). Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to respond while shifting between gears. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked, hesitated, and made an abnormally loud sound while driving from a complete stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that she read on the news that the failure was related to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Florissant, MO, USA

problem #52

Apr 162023

Explorer

  • miles
kI started experiencing some vibration while in the stopped position while in either reverse or drive. I had a few components replaced (throttle body, spark plugs, ignition coils, and vacuum pump. None of these helped alleviate the symptoms. I also had the transmission flushed. Additional symptoms ensued including, but not limited to, the car failing to accelerate, beginning to lose power while driving, etc. I had a mechanic come to access the vehicle and the Valvoline General Mgr come and confirm the mechanic's findings. The transmission ultimately failed on me while I was driving. The car has been incapacitated for almost 3 weeks to date while I researched the best route for repair. I did contact the Ford Consumer Line about the CSP 20N07. They told me they could not help me even though my symptoms were exactly as described within the verbiage.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #51

May 122023

Explorer

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced unintended surging and engine revving. During the failure the driver had difficulty stopping the vehicle while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving at various speeds, and also while the vehicle was stationary and idling. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 35,000.

- Warwick, RI, USA

problem #50

Mar 272023

Explorer

  • miles
Vibration or rough idle in drive and reverse. Shudder while driving Lack of engine RPM Low performance, lack of acceleration on take off. Mechanic found and replaced the following. Broken Transmission Mount, Replaced Front & Rear Engine Mounts. Transmission is not shifting correctly and the Mechanic stated that the oil was black and smelt burnt.

- Minerva, OH, USA

problem #49

Mar 122023

Explorer

  • miles
The torque converter has failed on a 2017 Ford Explorer 2.3L Ecoboost. There is a Customer Satisfaction Program 20N07 that was issued on October 9, 2020 and expired November 30, 2021 that this issue would have been covered under. The car has been to the dealership and they have confirmed that this is the issue but they are unable to do anything about it using this program because the program is no longer valid.

- San Marcos, TX, USA

problem #48

May 022022

Explorer

  • miles
Both turbos failed and so did the water pump. Less than 90,000 miles. When the turbos failed, there was smoke from the tailpipes. Then there was noise under the hood. When the water pump failed, there was water leaking under the vehicle. Yes, the problem was diagnosed and fixed by the Ford dealership. One of the turbos was fixed last year. The water pump was fixed in December. The other turbo is waiting to be fixed because Ford changed the part due to manufacturing issues and we are currently going on 3 months without a vehicle. The turbos or water pump failure would have been a catastrophic engine failure at some point. Apparently this is a known issue with the 3.5L EcoBoost engines, but Ford has not issued a recall. Fortunately I have a Blue Oval Certified warranty on my Explorer, so the repair is covered. There were no lamps or warning lights during the part failures. I did not let the car overheat when the water pump was failing.

- Brighton, MI, USA

problem #47

Feb 202023

Explorer 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while accelerating after the vehicle was idling, the vehicle would emit a load roaring and grinding noise while shuddering and hesitating before accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the torque converter failed and needed replacement, repointing, and reprogramming. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The failure was related to NHTSA ID Numbers: 10222455 (Power Train) 10187724 (Power Train), 10184652 (Power Train, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility), and 10181988 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

- Madison, MS, USA

problem #46

Mar 012023

Explorer

  • miles
Need a new transmission when I need to press the gas it won-??t go it like I-??m just pushing the gas in park

- Raeford, NC, USA

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