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What 398 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Ford Explorer Gas

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 (398)Crash / fire / injury (24)Transmission & drivetrain (111)Engine (44)Electrical system (39)Backup camera & sensors (35)Visibility & wipers (35)Body & structure (23)Brakes (22)Fuel system (22)Driver assistance (18)Suspension (15)

1 of 398 complaints match · Body & structure · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 25, 2026Body & structureVisibility & wipers1 injury

I am reporting a safety incident involving a 2021 Ford Explorer. While driving at normal speed, the hood unexpectedly flew open and struck the windshield, completely obstructing visibility and causing damage. I did not open the hood prior to driving, and there were no prior warnings or indications of failure. The incident suggests a possible hood latch or secondary safety latch malfunction. I am submitting this report due to a serious safety concern involving sudden loss of driver visibility.

NHTSA ODI 11733749

Working with the data? Download all 398 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 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 2021 Ford Explorer Gas verdict →