What 1,665 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Explorer

The lift gate glass shattered / exploded while sitting at a red light.

NHTSA ODI 11717169

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim had detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact used silicone to reattach the trim to the front passenger’s side. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the driver’s side A-pillar trim was loose. The contact added silicone to reattach the trim. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 50 MPH, the B-pillar trim on the driver’s side fractured. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact used silicone to reattach the trim. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11716824

See attached document for complaint. I’m writing to voice my concerns about my inability to have my vehicle repaired. I’ve received these safety recall notices for years. Every year I call both local Ford dealerships (Classic Ford of Columbia, Dick Smith Ford) and both tell me I must leave my vehicle for 7 to 10 days or longer and without access to a loaner vehicle. Any assistance that you can provide to have the Safety Recall repairs completed on my vehicle will be appreciated.

NHTSA ODI 11715014

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the rubber under the A-Pillar trim had become unsecured. The local dealer sent a technician to the residence, and duct tape was used to secure the trim as a temporary repair. The failure mileage was 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 11714553

I am filing a safety defect complaint regarding my 2017 ford explorer. The B pillar has broke in half a couple of years ago and nearly struck a vehicle behind me and if the remaining trim piece detaches, it could become a serious risk of collision, injury or property damage. it states NHTSA works to prevent unsafe traveling which is why I'm writing this. I have contacted Ford customer service and dealerships multiple times with no luck of anything. I have had to continuously tape the area to door which is not ordeal nor a forever fix. The b pillar is held on by wires that are slowly breaking. The wires lead to a hole that is inside my door. the opening exposes from the outside, meaning if it rains or snows, it is getting inside the hole, into my car door. If the recall piece ever came in, my door has already experienced neglect and issues. I'm concerned this will lead to corrosion, electrical complications and additional mechanical failures. Also, if it is not taped up correctly, air blows directly into the car door, into the cabin while driving onto my feet causing extreme cold exposure and physical harm and making it hard to operate the vehicle. It's very painful and also not ideal, especially when I also have a full time job and 3 kids to worry about. I currently owe 12k still on the vehicle and want to replace it with a safer vehicle. I should not have to be miserable every single day and put me and my kids in danger and also let my vehicle deteriorate while i wait for this recall piece on top of having to pay the remaining balance of this vehicle. I respectfully request that nhtsa review this complaint and investigate before anymore physical, emotional, financially harm is done.

NHTSA ODI 11712412

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 ( Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side door exterior B-Pillar trim had detached, causing the mounted keypad to detach. The failure left a hole in the mounting area of the keypad. The contact stated that the B-Pillar trim was hanging by the keypad wires, and the keypad wires had fractured. Additionally, there was a cold wind entering the vehicle with the B-pillar trim not securely taped to the vehicle, causing the contact's feet to become painfully cold. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact informed the dealer of the failure. The contact stated that the dealer took pictures of the failure but declined to test-drive or inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11712132

Regarding ***IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL*** 25V347. The B-pillar trim appliqués on my 2017 Explorer have detached completely from the vehicle - both of them, before the recall notice was received in June 2025. It’s now the end of January 2026 & still no fix for this SAFETY recall! How is a car piece detaching from a vehicle & becoming a projectile on a busy highway not a priority!!! Now I’m reading that there won’t be a fix until the end of 2026-absolutely outrageous. And yes, Ford dealer workers at 2 separate dealers confirmed that they are ‘waiting on Ford’ to supply the parts.

NHTSA ODI 11711958

I went to open my hatch and the bolts have completely rusted through to the point of detaching the rear hatch/trunk on the left side due to rust corrosion. Car is in a shop but I am told this might be a ford defect. I have had multiple people tell me of huge rust issues from the rack into the rear trunk/hatch door.

NHTSA ODI 11711641

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: (24V031000 (STRUCTURE) and 25V347000 (STRUCTURE); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11711188

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the front driver's side B-Pillar trim had detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were not available, and an inspection could not be performed. The contact stated that the battery was drained due to the failure. The vehicle was inoperable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710687

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side B-pillar trim was loose. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710792

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the front passenger’s side A-pillar trim had detached. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11710444

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (STRUCTURE) and 25V347000 (STRUCTURE). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the passenger's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, water entered the interior of the vehicle through the passenger's side A-pillar trim, and water accumulated on the carpet. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The contact stated that the driver's side A-pillar trim was loose. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ODI 11709495

Woke up one morning and noticed the b pillar almost completely detached. Called ford dealership in Musk*** MI. They told me I could pay out of pocket for labor and parts since no approved remedy is available. I’m a single mother of twins, and I cannot afford this. I need this fixed. The Ford dealership told me to duck tape it. This is dangerous and could kill someone with spring coming around the corner and motorcycles (think of all the other states that are warm enough all year round)- MI allows you to have no helmet by choice Thank god nobody has brought out a bike yet and had one hit them in the face. Sounds like a lawsuit to me. It is really selfish to hold off on a remedy for greedy purposes if that is what this is just to save a buck at the cost of someone’s life. I’d hate to see someone I know get hurt. And yes I’m ticked off I have to duck tape my freaking car as well.

NHTSA ODI 11709173

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact called the dealer several times because the driver's and passenger side A-pillar trims were loose. The contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not informed the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11708734

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part for the recall repair was not available. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle registration would expire soon. The contact was concerned that the registration would not be renewed because of the unrepaired recall. The contact was advised to contact the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted; however, the contact was unable to receive phone calls. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ODI 11708905

Related to: Manufacturer Recall Number24S02 NHTSA Recall Number24V031 The recall has been in place since January of 2024 (2 years) and there is still no remedy and the dealer repeatedly states the parts are on back order. I have had one pillar trim blow off, risking other drivers on the highway and fear the 2nd will do the same. Ford is not honoring the recall and there needs to be action taken for consumers.

NHTSA ODI 11707551

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The contact also stated that the driver's side windshield A-pillar trim was loose. The local dealer was contacted several times and informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11706456

The parts subject to the 3 recalls fail and fall off the vehicle under highway driving conditions. They have not made any effort to redesign the parts so they don't fail and they have made no effort to even replace the failed parts with the existing parts. The last time the recall was issued, I was advised by our dealer to use duct tape.

NHTSA ODI 11705414

I was driving down the road and my roof driver's side roof rail flew off. The previous owner had the recall addressed in 2023. The previous dealership who fixed the vehicle glued down the rails instead of installing new screws. There is dried glue now exposed where the roof rack use to be. When contacting Ford they claim there is no resolution but for me to fix my own roof rack though it was recalled for this issue. Thankfully no one was behind me when it flew off but it could have hit someone else or damaged my window that it hit when it flew off. The passenger side is also loose and showing the dried glue as well. Ford states that since the warranty period has expired there is nothing they can do. I cannot find the roof rail on the road to put it back and have been told it is $400+ just for the part. This is a safety hazard that was supposed to be fixed and there is no telling when the next one will come off as that is loosening as well.

NHTSA ODI 11705050

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); and later became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V316000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the trims around the windshield, including the driver's side and passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trims, were disintegrating and had partially detached. The contact was initially informed by a car wash employee about the trim failures and advised the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive through the car wash. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that there was no early availability to perform the inspection on the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the roof rail cover was partially raised. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11705078

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield was not functioning as designed. The contact also noticed water leaking from the windshield during inclement weather. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and a dealer representative visited the residence to inspect the vehicle. The dealer determined that the A-pillar trim had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11704320

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the driver's side A-pillar trim was blown off the vehicle by the slipstream. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) in February 2025. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703996

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the A-pillar trims on the driver’s and passenger’s side rattled while driving. The contact attempted to repair the A-pillar; however, the front driver's side A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle while driving. The contact then received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11703659

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, there was an abnormal flapping sound coming from the vehicle. Upon looking through the driver's side mirror, the contact noticed that the driver's side B-pillar trim was loose. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer the next day and was informed by the manager to go back home and glue the part to the door until the remedy was available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer but never received an answer or call back. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11703220