NHTSA Safety Recalls
2018 Ford Explorer Recalls
The 2018 Ford Explorer has 7 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on July 14, 2026.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2018 Ford Explorer. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 7
- Owner complaints
- 734
- Crashes reported
- 16
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★★
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
7 fires
overall, 5 stars max
On a 2018 Ford Explorer, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
7 recalls on the 2018 Ford Explorer
Structure: body
- Campaign
- 26V448000
- Reported
- July 14, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 288,314
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2016–2017, 2019 Explorer
Suspension: rear
- Campaign
- 26V101000
- Reported
- February 20, 2026
- Vehicles affected
- up to 412,774
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2017, 2019 Explorer
Equipment: electrical: engine block heater
- Campaign
- 25V685000
- Reported
- October 10, 2025
- Vehicles affected
- up to 59,006
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 2016–2017, 2020–2023 Explorer, 8 other models
Structure: body: roof and pillars
- Campaign
- 24V031000
- Reported
- January 19, 2024
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,889,110
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2011–2017, 2019 Explorer
Structure: body
- Campaign
- 21V316000
- Reported
- May 5, 2021
- Vehicles affected
- up to 616,967
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2016–2017, 2019 Explorer
Seats: front assembly: recliner
- Campaign
- 19V633000
- Reported
- August 28, 2019
- Vehicles affected
- up to 639,137
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash and injury
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 202, head restraints
- Same campaign
- also 2019–2020 Explorer, 6 other models
Fuel system, gasoline
- Campaign
- 18V807000
- Reported
- November 14, 2018
- Vehicles affected
- up to 144
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- only the 2018 Ford Explorer
2018 Ford Explorer complaints by year
NHTSA has received 734 owner complaints about the 2018 Ford Explorer, the newest on October 18, 2026. Of these, 16 describe a crash (2%) and 7 a fire; owners reported 13 injuries.
In complaints about the 2018 Ford Explorer, the component group named most often is the structure (39%), followed by the engine (13%) and the electrical system (8%).
3 of the 2018 Ford Explorer's 7 recalls also concern the structure.
Where 2018 Ford Explorer owners gave the mileage (290 complaints), the median was 50,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Structure288
- Unknown Or Other168
- Engine96
- Electrical System58
- Power Train50
- Engine And Engine Cooling29
Complaints received, by year
| 2018 | 40 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 41 | |
| 2020 | 37 | |
| 2021 | 38 | |
| 2022 | 41 | |
| 2023 | 123 | |
| 2024 | 135 | |
| 2025 | 190 | |
| 2026 | 89 |
Complaints about the 2018 Ford Explorer peaked in 2025, when NHTSA received 190. 21% arrived between 2017 and 2021, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2018 vehicles, the 2018 Ford Explorer drew 0.6× the complaints of the median Ford Explorer year in the same window: 17th highest of the 23 ranked years.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: ★★★★★
- Frontal: 5/5
- Side: 5/5
- Rollover: 4/5
The 734 complaints about the 2018 Ford Explorer are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
2018 Ford Explorer crash tests and safety technology
NHTSA rated 2 versions of the 2018 Ford Explorer: 4 DR SUV AWD and 4 DR SUV FWD.
On the 2018 Ford Explorer, the driver seat scored 4 stars in the frontal barrier test, the front passenger seat 5.
For the 2018 Ford Explorer, NHTSA lists electronic stability control as standard and forward collision warning and lane departure warning as an option. Forward collision warning became standard on the Explorer with the 2020 model year, 2 years after this one. Among 62 other 2018 SUVs with NHTSA ratings on this site, 18% had forward collision warning as standard.
NHTSA puts the chance that the 2018 Ford Explorer rolls over in a single-vehicle crash at 16.4% (4 stars); the 4 DR SUV AWD is higher, 17.4%. Of the 21 Explorer years NHTSA rated from 2004 on, 6 had a lower risk, the 2020 the lowest at 14.7%. Of 62 other 2018 SUVs with NHTSA ratings on this site, 25 (40%) had a lower rollover risk; their median was 16.4%.
Photos: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program, NHTSA test vehicle 12118, shown from static.nhtsa.gov. Ratings, rollover risk and technology of the 2018 Ford Explorer: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API, retrieved October 28, 2026; NHTSA terms of use. How the tests work
Ford Explorer by model year
Other 2018 Ford models
Newest record on this page: October 18, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted