Model year guide

2017 Ford Explorer

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2017 Ford Explorer is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 137 on record.

2017 Ford Explorer — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2017 Ford Explorer at a glance

Safety recalls13
Owner complaints1,668
Combined20 mpg
Typical price$26,430

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2017 Ford Explorer recalls 13

Seats NHTSA Campaign #19V651000 · 11/09/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with power front seats. The seat frames may have sharp edges.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective tape on the exposed inside edge and tab of the power seat frames, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S29.

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #19V435000 · 10/06/2019

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numbe…

Wheels:hub NHTSA Campaign #17E048000 · 28/08/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain Wheel Hub Bearing assemblies, part number HB5Z-1104-C, incorrectly listed as being for installation on the rear axles of 2011-2017 Ford Explorer 4X2 vehicles. These bearings assemblies were manufactured without a self retention feature, possibly resulting in the separation of the wheel or wheel end.

Fix: Ford will notify the distributors of the hubs specifying that they are to only be used on drive axles. It is believed that none of the hubs were purchased from Ford dealers for the incorrect application. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Steering NHTSA Campaign #17V530000 · 28/08/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Explorer, Taurus and Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan vehicles. The steering gear heat shield fasteners may corrode, allowing the heat shield to detach.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers to inspect and replace the heat shield fasteners as needed, free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S23.

Seats:front Assembly:recliner NHTSA Campaign #17V332000 · 22/05/2017

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Explorer, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 vehicles equipped with a manual driver's seat back recliner mechanism. In the event of a crash, the seat back frame may not restrain the occupant due to having inadequate welds. As such, these vehicles may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202a, "Head Restraints" …

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the seat back frame, free of charge. The recall began on June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C08.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger NHTSA Campaign #16V925000 · 22/12/2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Taurus, 2016-2017 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, 2017 Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI engines. Improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes may leak oil on engine components.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the turbocharger oil supply tubes, free of charge. The recall began on January 31, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S46.

Structure:body NHTSA Campaign #21V316000 · 05/05/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.

Fix: Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer …

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #21V537000 · 15/07/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the …

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return …

Suspension:rear NHTSA Campaign #20V675000 · 12/03/2021

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin that were previously repaired unde…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle attached to the rear suspension toe link and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this …

Structure:body:roof And Pillars NHTSA Campaign #24V031000 · 19/01/2024

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.

Structure:body NHTSA Campaign #25V347000 · 23/05/2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Explorer vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.

Fix: The remedy is currently under development. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2025. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this …

Equipment:electrical:engine Block Heater NHTSA Campaign #25V685000 · 10/10/2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. In…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2017 Ford Explorer common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 1,668 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.

2017 Ford Explorer MPG & running costs

Combined20 mpg
City17 mpg
Highway24 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,121

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2017 Ford Explorer worth?

Low
$18,995
Typical price
$26,430
High
$33,500

From 95 comparable 2017 Ford Explorer listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2017 Ford Explorer costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,605
Depreciation (5 yrs)$4,100
Total$19,705
Per mile$0.26

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($26,430) with the same model 5 model-years older ($22,313), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2017 Ford Explorer trims & engines on record

Trims
XLT · Limited · Sport · Base · Platinum · Police
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl 290 hp · 3.5L 6-cyl 365 hp · 2.3L 4-cyl 280 hp · 3.7L 6-cyl 304 hp

2017 Ford Explorer vehicles on record

Other Ford Explorer model years

2017 Ford Explorer — frequently asked questions

Does the 2017 Ford Explorer have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 13 safety recalls for the 2017 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Ford Explorer?

Based on 1,668 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are structure, power train, suspension.

What gas mileage does the 2017 Ford Explorer get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2017 Ford Explorer at about 20 mpg combined (17 city / 24 highway).

How much is a 2017 Ford Explorer worth?

Comparable 2017 Ford Explorer listings run roughly $18,995–$33,500, typically around $26,430 (from 95 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.