2017 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2017 Ford Explorer, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 46,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “front driver side” (6% of reports).
- 93electrical system complaints
- 46,500median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 70%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Front driver side: mentioned in 6 of 93 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 43 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 93 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 6 a fire.
Ford Explorer electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 9 | 21% | 1,000 |
| 2025 Explorer | 23 | 22% | 3,500 |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 13 | 12% | 33,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 39 | 14% | 24,850 |
| 2021 Explorer | 47 | 11% | 23,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 186 | 15% | 9,900 |
| 2019 Explorer | 20 | 7% | 45,600 |
| 2018 Explorer | 58 | 8% | 35,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 93 | 5% | 46,500 |
| 2016 Explorer | 128 | 5% | 41,785 |
| 2015 Explorer | 93 | 5% | 54,620 |
| 2014 Explorer | 100 | 6% | 60,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 163 | 7% | 57,060 |
| 2012 Explorer | 63 | 8% | 39,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 95 | 8% | 56,300 |
| 2010 Explorer | 12 | 10% | 60,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 250 |
| 2008 Explorer | 38 | 26% | 72,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 25 | 12% | 61,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 39 | 6% | 57,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 36 | 7% | 78,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 55 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 54 | 5% | 51,475 |
| 2002 Explorer | 148 | 4% | 94,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 29 | 8% | 71,500 |
| 2000 Explorer | 78 | 8% | 91,700 |
| 1999 Explorer | 92 | 7% | 75,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 114 | 6% | 105,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 80 | 5% | 98,197 |
| 1996 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 143,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 55 | 7% | 156,914 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2017 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The vehicle ACM shorted and caused a fire while driving. My safety was put as risk because the car quickly filled with smoke and unbearable fumes causing me to swerve and attempt to find a safe place to pull over.
Begin with cliff, I was not wanting to lock or locked or start the vehicle as I was driving. I stopped at the light vehicle started shaking, and as I drove through the light to pull over power steering assist failure, terrain, failure, and control failure.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). While driving approximately 60 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the residence, inspected, and confirmed that the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2017 Ford Explorers have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 93 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2017 Ford Explorer (5% of the 1,699 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Ford Explorer electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 46,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2017 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “front driver side”, in 6 of 93 complaints.
Other 2017 Ford Explorer problems
- Structure problems (657)
- Engine problems (241)
- Power Train problems (123)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (77)
- Steering problems (76)
- Wheels problems (60)
- Suspension problems (57)
See all 2017 Ford Explorer problems or electrical system problems across all Explorer years.