Home · 2017 Ford Explorer Hev · Complaints

What 1,668 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Explorer Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,668)Crash / fire / injury (61)Body & structure (643)Engine (234)Transmission & drivetrain (122)Electrical system (90)Engine & cooling (76)Steering (74)Visibility & wipers (73)Wheels (60)Suspension (55)Fuel system (49)

8 of 1,668 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 31, 2025Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngineCrash

intermittened starting problems, vechile wont start, clicks, then starts and power train light comes on. Waiting at a red light, press the gas and the car does not go, also when speeding up transmission slips.

NHTSA ODI 11677550

Aug 10, 2024Electrical systemFire

We notice we were getting a warning about our battery about a year ago, so we took it to Ford and they said they couldn’t find any issues. We found a mechanic in town who looked at it with a volt meter an instantly noticed that the red power cable coming from the battery had burst through the casing that once held it. Now we have an exposed power cable that could potentially catch on fire if fluids from the engine were exposed to it. We first knew something was wrong when the doors would not unlock properly. And while driving we would get a battery warning. Ford told us during our warranty period that they didn’t find anything wrong when this should have been noticed instantly. This is a serious fire hazard. The vehicle was inspected by the manufacturer but a lack of knowledge by their mechanics has led to us filling this report.

NHTSA ODI 11607695

Oct 12, 2022Electrical systemLane DepartureDriver assistanceFire

We had an issue with Fuse 34, it popped and sent warning lights to the dash regarding safety systems and sensors, as well as the cameras in front and back stopped working. We replaced the fuse and it held for a while, but then popped again. I noticed a lamp flickering one day on the front of the vehicle, and upon further inspection saw that the front camera and wiring harness had started on fire. The wiring harness is fully melted and there are signs of smoke and fire damage on the front of the car. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealer who confirmed their wiring harness had failed, but will not take responsibility for the issue. The care only has about 45k miles on it. I called to their corporate office who also rejected any liability. Obviously this is more than just the money for repairs, but a safety hazard that they will not respond to.

NHTSA ODI 11488957

Jun 15, 2022Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBackup camera & sensorsCrash

I backed into a parking spot, put the car in park and turned the vehicle off. As I was getting ready to get out of the car, it rolled backwards into another car parked to my passenger side rear. My vehicle did not give any warning, no sensor alert, or anything!

NHTSA ODI 11469449

Jun 12, 2020Electrical systemLightsBody & structureFire

ON MAY 20TH 2020, I DROVE THE CAR FROM MY HOUSE TO THE GROCERY STORE, AN APPROXIMATE 7 MILES DRIVE. I PARKED THE CAR ON THE PARKING LOT, A FEW SECONDS AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AS THE SECONDS PASSED THE WHITE SMOKE CONVERTED INTO A FIRE IN THE ENGINE, 5 MINUTES LATER THE CAR WAS LOST DUE TO FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328550

Nov 18, 2019Electrical systemEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT DRIVES A 2017 FORD EXPLORER POLICE VEHICLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OUT INTO AN OPEN PARKING LOT WHERE IT CAUGHT FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT STARTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO FINISH THE JOB. POLICE AND FIRE REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO VILLAGE FORD (23535 MICHIGAN AVE, DEARBORN, MI 48124, (313) 565-3900) WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED. THE CONTACT THAT THE FUSE PANEL MAY HAVE MELTED AND CAUSED THE FIRE AFTER RESEARCHING OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. *LN*JB CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. VEHICLE WAS SENT TO HIS COMPANY'S ATTORNEY FOR A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. *DL

NHTSA ODI 11280833

Jul 7, 2019Electrical systemBrakesCrash

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, I HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND, ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED IN TO LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHICH INDICATED BAD CELL IN MANUFACTURERS BATTERY CAUSING IT TO BLOW AND SPRAY BATTERY ACID ALL OVER ENGINE COMPONENTS AT 26,127 MILES. DEALERSHIP DID NOT FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURE WHEN REPLACING BATTERY AND LEFT ACID ON ENGINE AND COMPONENTS. BATTERY ACID HAD EATEN THROUGH BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS, WIRING AND CAUSED SEVERE CORROSION UNDER HOOD. BY NOT ADDRESSING THE SAFETY CONCERN WHEN CONFRONTED AND DURING MULTIPLE VISITS AND PHONE E CALLS, BRAKE SYSTEM ABS FAILED CAUSING A FRONT END COLLISION BY SLAMMING INTO ANOTHER CAR IN THE INTERSTATE RESULTING FROM BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI 11229919

Jan 3, 2019Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED AUTONATION FORD SCOTTSDALE AT (480) 630-2827 (LOCATED AT 8555 E FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BLVD, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ODI 11165724

Working with the data? Download all 1,668 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Ford Explorer Hev verdict →