2018 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2018 Ford Explorer, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 35,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “backup camera” (9% of reports).
- 58electrical system complaints
- 35,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 35%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.
- Backup camera: mentioned in 5 of 58 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 18 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 58 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury.
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 2018 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 contact owned a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a message displayed on several occasions instructing the driver to pull over and shut off the vehicle because the battery would shut off. Upon pulling over and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle…
The driver side Keyless door entry pillar has come off on the highway and hit something. The keyless door entry panel came off in 2023 and Koons Ford of Annapolis charged me $ 523.00 to fix the panel. The panel has a small clip and double stick tape. Sorry, double stick tape is not going to hold up…
The horn on my vehicle activates (blows) when I turn the steering wheel to certain positions. I believe this to be a road hazard. Especially since I had to remove the horn relay to prevent the horn from blowing in traffic until I can get it repaired. Several other Ford vehicles have been recalled…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Ford Explorers have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 58 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2018 Ford Explorer (8% of the 733 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 2018 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 35,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2018 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “backup camera”, in 5 of 58 complaints.
Other 2018 Ford Explorer problems
- Structure problems (288)
- Engine problems (96)
- Power Train problems (50)
See all 2018 Ford Explorer problems or electrical system problems across all Explorer years.