What 707 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Ford Explorer Hev

The windshield wipers do not work, the rear wiper do not work and the wiper fluid does not squirt out. It can be inspected. The safety of everyone is at risk because I can't clean my windshield to make the road visible. I have recently seen a recall involving Ford vehicles regarding the windshield wipers not working. And I think it needs to include more years because mine is affected also. It started glitching about a year ago and now doesn't work at all. No lights come on and there is fluid in the wiper tank.

NHTSA ODI 11729720

During a storm, our SUV had water leaking in through the top, middle of the windshield. The water soaked the dashboard controls and our heating/air system was stuck on high heat and would not turn off. It was 70° and it was extremely hot in the SUV and the windows kept fogging up making it hard to see. Our temperature controls no longer work properly.

NHTSA ODI 11707788

I am filing a safety complaint regarding unresolved recalls on my 2018 Ford Explorer (VIN: [XXX] ). FIRST RECALL: Over two years ago, I was notified to repair the exterior A-pillar trim/window shields. The dealer in Yakima, WA, placed me on a waiting list and said the part was unavailable. I have been waiting over two years with no resolution. Recently, while driving on the highway, this part fell off and struck the windshield of another vehicle behind me, creating a dangerous situation and potential for serious injury. The dealer refused to repair it for free, stating I must either wait longer or purchase the part myself, despite this being a manufacturer safety recall. This long delay and refusal put my safety and the safety of others at risk. It also caused stress, confrontation, and concern for my financial obligations, as I continue paying for a vehicle with unresolved safety defects. SECOND RECALL: The high-speed cooling fan motor relay recall was not properly addressed. The dealer only started the vehicle, stated the fan worked, and performed no inspection or repair, leaving a potential hazard unresolved. FORD RESPONSE: I reported these incidents to Ford Customer Service, but they said the situation did not qualify for opening a case. I strongly disagree, as these are confirmed safety recalls and one part already failed during driving. ADDITIONAL CONCERNS: I am still making monthly payments for this vehicle while unresolved recalls continue to appear. The ongoing failure to repair these defects, despite multiple reports, creates financial and safety burdens. I request NHTSA to investigate these matters, require Ford to complete all recall repairs properly, and hold the dealer accountable for their refusal to provide free safety repairs in a timely manner. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11707887

The dash on my 2018 Ford Explorer platinum is rolling up from the front of the dash. It is made out of some sort of leather or vinyl. But with it rolling up towards the driver, it causes a glare onto the windshield which causes visibility issues. I know I'm not the only one experiencing these problems with the platinum trim on the 2018 ford explorer. But this really needs to be looked into and recalled. You can also look up the explorer platinum on a vehicle search website and visibly see that every platinum edition explorer has this issue. It's unsafe and should be addressed immediately.

NHTSA ODI 11691529

The vinyl on the top part of the dash has completely seperated which is causing a major white reflection on my window and rendering the car unsafe to drive. Ford refuses to address the issue. I also suspect if my air bags deployed this could impact how they deploy or cause additional vinyl shrapnel hitting an occupant in the face in the event of a crash.

NHTSA ODI 11685377

The dash cover came unglued and is rolling up exposing a white cloth that reflects on the windshield makingit hard to see

NHTSA ODI 11681453

The cover on my dashboard has lifted/rolled up and revealed a white material underneath, and as such, this has caused a glare onto the windshield in my field of vision, making it harder for me to see while driving. I feel that this is a safety concern. I have taken it to a Ford dealership to have it looked at, and they claim that there is nothing that can be done except for the entire dashboard to be replaced which would be thousands of dollars. I have researched this issue and it seems to be a common issue among my make and model year of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11675296

intermittent wipers would not turn off. Took car to dealership and they charged $629.38 to fix a FORD quality issue. Wipers scratch the windshield and cause unnecessary distraction during dry conditions as they would not turn off. This issue (wipers not turning off) occurred after the A-Pillar flew off my vehicle and hit another car. The other driver did not stop. FORD needs to cover the cost of the wiper switch and also compensate owners for lack of part availability to fix the A-Pillar issue for a year now. No alerts, warning messages provided.

NHTSA ODI 11631156

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); the roof racks started to detach from the vehicle, almost causing the sunroof to fracture. The contact stated that the side view mirrors seized without warning. The contact had to shift to park and turn off and restart the vehicle for the side view mirrors to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000.

NHTSA ODI 11618681

Both right and left side exterior A-pillar trim parts detached while driving. 2018 Ford Explorer.

NHTSA ODI 11600252

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the driver’s side windshield was cracked. The contact also stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware of a crack on the passenger’s side windshield. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not 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 issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The windshield failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11588562

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked when there was heavy rain in the area. The contact stated that after the heavy rain passed when they were placing items in the back seat, they noticed that water was in the cup holder. The contact discovered a crack in the sunroof allowing water to enter the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred multiple times. The contact was concerned that there was no impact on the sunroof to have caused it to crack. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a cracked sunroof frame. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,000.

NHTSA ODI 11578558

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the front windshield was disintegrating. There were no warning lights illuminated. While driving, the contact detected that there was an abnormal chirping noise and wind entering the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had gradually progressed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cowl screen panel needed to be replaced. The sealant around the windshield had disintegrated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under the warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11554038

Windshield noise above 35mph. Seals are rotting. Couldn't upload photos.

NHTSA ODI 11546792

Windshield trim detached during highway travel. It flapped hitting the windshield and flew off almost causing collision.

NHTSA ODI 11546967

Our 2018 Ford Explorer windshield trim panel is partially detached. The detachment is on the passenger side lower corner of the windshield and continues up for 9 inches. No crash has occurred as of this time. I reported the detachment to our local Ford Dealer and they were unconcerned. We first noticed a litter detachment late Fall of 2022. The detachment had since extended up the windshield.

NHTSA ODI 11507193

Parts of the front windshield trim/seals on the passenger and driver's side have come off on their own. Just noticed that I am missing substantial parts of the driver's side seal and the passenger side is cracked and missing in some areas.

NHTSA ODI 11505868

The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after her daughter had placed her 8-month-old grandchild in a car seat in the second-row rear driver’s side seat, she heard a loud banging sound coming from the vehicle. The contact's daughter, was outside of the vehicle at the time the failure occurred and noticed that the center of the rear windshield had exploded, projecting shattered pieces of glass that reached her grandchild’s car seat. There was no injury sustained. The contact' daughter was able to drive the vehicle to her residence while her grandchild was transported by a family member. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11505870

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70-75 MPH, the exterior driver’s side trim piece along the windshield detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle part was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11504871

Windshield trim was coming off while I was driving on interstate 95 at high speed. I was able to secure it before it blew off with some tape and stopped off the highway and got some black duct tape. I have not had it fixed yet but the tape is holding well so far. I just read that this is being investigated. I don't believe that I should have to pay to repair this as it seems to be happening to others. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11505079

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear windshield trim separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear windshield trim needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that he needed to pay for the repair because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11491976

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the weather stripping around the windshield and the rubber seal around all doors had started to deteriorate on the passenger’s and driver’s side rear doors. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed that the windshield molding and the rubber stripping on the doors needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 27,632.

NHTSA ODI 11490115

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the rear hatch glass shattered without impact. The vehicle was taken to Safelite Auto Glass and repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under the vehicle warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11455231

FRONT SOUND SCREEN WINDSHIELD SEEMS VERY SOFT AND WEAK. SLIGHTEST STRIKE FROM ROAD DEBRIS CAUSES CHIP OR CRACK. DEBRIS STRIKES REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT OF IMPACT HAS CAUSED CHIPPING, CRACKS, AND VISIBLE SCRAPES OF MATERIAL. WINDSHIELD IS SOUND SCREEN AND SEEMS MADE OF EXTREMELY SOFT MATERIALS MAKING VULNERABLE TO EASY DAMAGE WHICH IS SAFETY RISK TO DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS WHILE DRIVING REGARDLESS OF ON HIGHWAY OR CITY STREET.

NHTSA ODI 11120795

PURCHASED MY EXPLORER ON MAY 28, 2018, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS MORNING, MY DAUGHTER USED THE REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AS IT SAT PARKED ON OUR DRIVEWAY, CLIMBED IN AND CLOSED THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND THE BACK WINDOW SHATTERED. GLASS WAS INSIDE, OUTSIDE AND THEN PIECES CONTINUED TO FALL. THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW HAS SMALL CHUNKS OUT OF IT ON THE EDGES AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11113003