Ford Explorer Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 1,016 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Ford Explorer across 32 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (162). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (38% of reports).
- 1,016air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 382mention a crash
- 266mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $970typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 384 of 1,016 complaints (38%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 110 of 1,016 complaints (11%)
- Upon impact: mentioned in 60 of 1,016 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the Ford Explorer at $970, and half of them between $660 and $1,250.
Based on 53 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 527 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,016 complaints, 382 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 266 an injury.
Ford Explorer air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 5 | 5% | 23,977 |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2023 Explorer | 4 | 4% | 43,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 7 | 3% | 36,000 |
| 2021 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 6,500 |
| 2020 Explorer | 5 | 0% | — |
| 2019 Explorer | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Explorer | 11 | 2% | 1,200 |
| 2017 Explorer | 34 | 2% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 99 | 4% | 51,500 |
| 2015 Explorer | 84 | 5% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 18 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 44 | 4% | 66,500 |
| 2010 Explorer | 6 | 5% | 32,800 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 118,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 12 | 6% | 81,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 101,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 63,500 |
| 2004 Explorer | 39 | 3% | 109,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 50 | 4% | 102,517 |
| 2002 Explorer | 162 | 5% | 73,650 |
| 2001 Explorer | 28 | 7% | 58,740 |
| 2000 Explorer | 62 | 7% | 58,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 97 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 40 | 2% | 87,087 |
| 1997 Explorer | 27 | 2% | 105,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 139,928 |
| 1995 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 115,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Air bags:frontal
Model years: 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. The active vent on the passenger side may not open as intended, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S65. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 14, 2026.
Air bags:side/window:curtain; air bags:critical fasteners
Model years: 2021
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag attachment weld studs could detach during the deployment of the side air bag, resulting in an improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, "Side Impact Protection".
Risk: Improper deployment of a side air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the side air bag assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C19.
Air bags:critical fasteners; seats; air bags:side/window
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs.
Risk: If the side air bag or seat back fasteners were not properly tightened, the side air bag deployment could be affected, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S48.
Air bags:side/window
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: 4-door sport utility vehicles equipped with side air bags. The subject vehicles have a revised level side crash sensor that could deploy the side air bag if the ignition key is in the "run" position and the seatbelt webbing is forcibly extracted from a locked retractor with a jerking motion.
Risk: Inadvertent side air bag deployment could cause personal injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will replace the side crash sensors with a revised design that will reduce the likelihood of an unexpected side air bag deployment.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2025 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was making a right turn into a resident carport, the vehicle surged forward and crashed into the house at approximately 10-15 MPH. The brake pedal was depressed during the failure. The contact was following his wife at…
Officer was involved in a crash where the vehicles airbags were deployed. When the driver side seat airbag deployed it vented its gas towards the driver. When this happened the heat from the deployed air melted components on his police utility belt. If not for the police belt there is a high…
During a traffic accident the driver side seat airbag deployed. The airbag vent faces towards the driver when it deploys. The air escaping the vent burned through the shirt of the officer driving the vehicle and also caused a mixture of 2nd and 3rd degree burns to the hip and side abdomen region of…
Head on collision occurred XXX. A man was traveling east on XXX and ran the light at the intersection of [XXX]. I was heading south on [XXX] and hit his white truck. My air bags did not deploy. Also, within the last year a seatbelt was not latching properly and I had to get it replaced. In addition…
Benoit Nissan in DeRidder, LA, was contracted to perform a critical safety repair/recall on my vehicle's airbag system. The dealership charged for the completed repair, but explicitly aborted the physical installation, leaving the vehicle's Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) incomplete…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Explorers have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,016 owner complaints about air bags for the Ford Explorer. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Explorer air bags?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $970 (half paid between $660 and $1,250), from 53 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 384 of 1,016 complaints, followed by “bags deploy” (110).
Other Ford Explorer problems
- Power Train problems (5,091)
- Structure problems (4,912)
- Steering problems (4,059)
- Tires problems (2,965)
- Engine problems (2,057)
- Electrical System problems (2,036)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,752)
- Suspension problems (1,690)
See all Ford Explorer problems.