Ford Explorer Visibility/wiper Problems
Owners have filed 366 complaints with NHTSA about visibility/wiper problems on the Ford Explorer across 26 model years. The 2020 model year has the most (57). The words owners use most often: “rear window” (11% of reports).
- 366visibility/wiper complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 64%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.
- Rear window: mentioned in 39 of 366 complaints (11%)
- Windshield wipers: mentioned in 30 of 366 complaints (8%)
- Flew off: mentioned in 27 of 366 complaints (7%)
- View mirror: mentioned in 20 of 366 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do visibility/wiper problems happen?
Based on 112 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 366 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Explorer visibility/wiper complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility/wiper complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 5 | 12% | 4,600 |
| 2025 Explorer | 10 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Explorer | 3 | 14% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 6 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Explorer | 21 | 8% | 500 |
| 2021 Explorer | 27 | 6% | — |
| 2020 Explorer | 57 | 5% | 7,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 4 | 1% | 7,083 |
| 2018 Explorer | 16 | 2% | 6,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 45 | 3% | 19,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 32 | 1% | 51,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 26 | 1% | 43,091 |
| 2014 Explorer | 26 | 2% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 33 | 1% | 74,500 |
| 2012 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 9 | 1% | 88,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 95,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 3 | 1% | 141,300 |
| 2006 Explorer | 1 | 0% | 175,800 |
| 2005 Explorer | 3 | 1% | 133,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 12 | 1% | 127,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 5 | 0% | 158,526 |
| 2002 Explorer | 9 | 0% | 98,559 |
| 2001 Explorer | 2 | 1% | 129,500 |
| 2000 Explorer | 1 | 0% | 190,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 1 | 0% | 130,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists visibility/wiper for the 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.
Never really used sun roof , but accidentally hit button to open ⦠then closedâ¦.. not realizing that the cover didnât close it SAG down behind my head⦠blocking rear view completely. It was dark out and had to pull over and try to fix so I could see out my rear window
I am filing this complaint because the federal recall remedy performed on my 2023 Ford Explorer failed, and the Ford dealership that performed it refused to correct the failure. About a year after I purchased my 2023 Ford Explorer (used, from an independent dealer), I received Ford's federal recall…
Rear liftgate window spontaneously shattered while sitting in my driveway.
Nothing has happened yet. Have been waiting 2.5 years for this recall to be fixed and I am afraid to drive my car without it being fixed so basically I am stuck at home and paying car insurance and maintenance on a car I can't drive far.
on the highway it was raining heavily, and my [XXX] old was in car back seat. Suddenly wipers stopped working, Steering wheel wasn't working, indicator was not working, I was getting multiple warnings on my screen. We would have ended up in a major accident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Explorers have visibility/wiper problems?
No. NHTSA has 366 owner complaints about visibility/wiper 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 visibility/wiper?
No recall currently lists visibility/wiper for this vehicle.
What do owners say about visibility/wiper problems on the Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “rear window”, in 39 of 366 complaints, followed by “windshield wipers” (30).
Other Ford Explorer problems
- Power Train problems (5,093)
- Structure problems (4,914)
- Steering problems (4,061)
- Tires problems (2,965)
- Engine problems (2,059)
- Electrical System problems (2,039)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,752)
- Suspension problems (1,691)
See all Ford Explorer problems.