2021 FORD EXPLORER Engine Problems

Police car started to run rough at low speed. Stalled in middle of road. Scanned codes and code for Catalytic converter showed up along with misfires from numerous cylinders. Brought to dealer and was told needed plugs and a wire. Vehicle was returned and the same issue occurred. Fixed again. Picked up and once again the same issue started. Turned around and brought it back to dealer. The mechanic stated he never checked the catalytic converter as he was never told it had a code for the converter being bad. Two weeks later I am informed that Cylinder 5 is bad. No compression. Two issues. Ford upped the warranty on the catalytic converters because of this common problem. The tech sheet shows that a bad cat will cause misfires, but never checked. Second issue is the recall 24s55 was for fords with a 3.o liter engine, built in Chicago, between the dates of 7/21 and 10/21. My vehicle was built in Chicago on 9/21 and has a 3.0 liter engine. I also received the post card regarding the recall and we had brought it t o the dealer. 24s55 states the valve could cause engine failure. Well now I have a bad engine. Ford says no recall even though prior Chief brought to dealer after receiving postcard for recall.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V598000 (Engine). The local dealer was contacted and declined to complete the recall repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

My explorer is only 4 years old and it suddenly suffered catastrophic engine failure due to low engine oil. The engine started knokcing and clattering BEFORE any warning lights came on the dash. This could also be due to premature bearing failure which is common in the 3.0 ecboost engines.

My vehicle is experiencing exhaust fume issue where the exhaust fumes are entering into the cabin for Explorer and Aviator models (Any model with the 3.0L Ecoobost). Upon inspection by 3rd party mechanic, it can be determined that the problematic catalytic converters that are not the one piece cast was installed on my vehicle from the factory. Speaking to other ST and Interceptor owners, the problem seems widespread to every 2021 model that Ford installed the multipiece welded catalytic converters. Apparently the cast part fairs better and is not subject to cracks. The recall originally covered the left side catalytic converter but the flawed design also affects the right side catalytic converter where many owners are experiencing this issue. This has affected all 3.0L Ecoboost engine vehicles. [XXX] I believe the recall should have extended to cover all 2020 and 2021 model year vehicles. There are forum posts where owners outside the recall have experienced the issue in addition to owners having to repeatedly replace the catalytic converters post warrant as Ford continued to reinstall bad catalytic converters as part of the repair process. I have driven this vehicle for several thousand miles with the issue and did not realize exhaust was leaking until notices of headaches and health issues as CO is odorless, causing CO2 levels to reach 3000+ inside the cabin at stop lights and blows in through the vents if A/C is on. I believe NHTSA should investigate this issue further and require Ford to replace both catalytic converters as this issue poses a serious health hazard, especially given the location of the exhaust leak and the commonplace occurrence. I am happy to forward to forums and provide evidence of this occurring. Ford considers lifetime of the vehicle to be ~150K miles and these exhausts do not last close to that, resulting in a massive expense and danger to US consumers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed and then lost motive power. The engine made ticking sounds, and the vehicle was running rough. No warning light was illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle into the driveway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who discovered that the timing chain, spark plugs, and intake valves were fractured. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

The transmission failed. The electrical component also failed

Recall Action Soon Issue Since 06-20-2025 Unrequested second-row seat movement For More Information Telematics Generated Issue

Recall Action Soon Issue Since 06-20-2025 Unrequested second-row seat movement Unrequested second-row seat movement Recall incomplete Recall service not available right now. We have a remedy but parts are not available right now. We will inform you when the service is available. Or, you can contact your dealer. Contact Dealer Issue Date 2025-06-13 Campaign 25S67/25V393 Description On your vehicle, it is possible that the easy entry seat fold switch on the second-row outboard seats may bind or stick if its surrounding trim bezel was installed incorrectly. If the button is stuck in the down position, the seat may unlatch, fold and or slide unexpectedly, potentially while driving. Safety Risk A seat that unexpectedly folds or slides while driving could increase the risk of injury, particularly in a crash. Remedy Ford Motor Company is working to provide parts for this repair. When the remedy becomes available, Ford Motor Company will notify you via mail to schedule a service appointment with your dealer for repairs to be completed free of charge.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-30 MPH, the vehicle stalled, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Mileage: 55,000

I was stoped at a red light with cars in front of me and behind me when with my foot on the break the car accelerated forward like my foot was on the gas pedal but my foot was not on pedal, the car surged forward and came close to hitting the car in front of me I pressed the break and got stopped didn’t happen again but sometimes I can feel the car wanting to keep surging forward when breaking. If there is a problem this could cause me to hit someone in the rear or even worse could hit a pedestrian in the crosswalk please check this out

While our 2021 Ford Explorer with 47,000 miles to work the vehicle warning light came on stating the vehicle was overheated and shut down. We allowed the vehicle to cool for 20 minutes as recommended by the owners manual and then restarted the vehicle which immediately overheated again. We had the vehicle towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the issue as coolant in the oil forcing a replacement of the engine and coolant systems.

The vehicle has intermittent issues with bucking, running poorly, and not shifting properly. It results in several warning lights which will clear at random. The dealer has told us it needed a new alternator. The repair was made but the problem resurfaced again today. This is not a new issue as it has occurred many times before.

We were driving the vehicle when we experienced a sudden loss of power and acceleration. We also noticed odors of gas. We took it to a Ford authorized dealership and they said it was due to antifreeze in the oil from what they said was a leaking water pump. They recommended a new engine due to the difficulty of changing the internal water pump and the fact it leaked antifreeze into the engine oil, possibly damaging the engine itself. This was the explanation for the fault codes, random gas odors, and loss of power. It was explained this was normal when the sensors detect something wrong with the oil in the engine. Estimated cost provided by the dealership was $11,000 to replace the engine.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

Mileage: 74,000

I had complete engine failure on my 2021 115,000 mi Ford Explorer ST. The truck was only 3 years old. I heard a knocking noise and pulled over. Throughout the summer smoke had been coming out of the exhaust pipe every time I turned on the car before work. There was a cloud of smoke. A week before the engine failure I had the vehicle in the ford shop. They said everything was fine. I towed the vehicle to Currie Ford in Frankfort and they stated that there was catastrophic engine failure. Nothing could be done but I needed to put a new $12,000 engine in a $63,000 car. They said the warranty did not cover nor do I have any recourse. The safety of my family was placed at risk., I was travelling with my family, my wife, son, daughter, nephew who is [XXX] old and niece who is [XXX] . It left us stranded. There were no warnings. The dealership inspected the car a week before and said it was good to go. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the power train warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to exit the highway and the contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to Express Care Automotive, where it was diagnosed that a valve in the engine had failed. The mechanic informed the contact that the engine needed to be taken apart for additional diagnostic testing. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be related to Ford Campaign Number: 24S55. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

When driving or on neutral the vehicle shakes between 1000rpm-1500rpm. During driving or stationary you can feel the vehicle vibrating when in that rpm range. Under load the car does feel a bit hesitant and tampers acceleration. They're is a TSB 22-2377 which may be related to this issue as well.

On [XXX], I was driving to my destination. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a large amount of grayish smoke coming from both tailpipes. Less then 1 mile after that, the Explorer was unable to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to Don's Ford in Utica NY where on October 8th they diagnosed the problem as a blown turbo within the engine. There were no symptoms that illuminated in the vehicle, made any noises and/or other issues that would have prompted me that there was a problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

[XXX] after driving less than 10 min. warning signs flashed on screen. I immediately pulled off the road where the vehicle completely shut down and realized my 2021 Ford Explorer was on fire. Bystanders attempted to put the fire out with fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful. My passenger and I opened our doors, I exited and attempted to open trunk to remove wheelchair but could not (because door is electrical). My passenger flung himself onto the ground until bystanders came with a rolling office chair to remove him away from the burning vehicle. Had the bystanders not been there I do not know how I would have been able to move my passenger (25 year old, 200 lb male) away from the burning vehicle. Fire Marshall could not determine cause of fire because vehicle was completely melted/too damaged. Ford Motor Company reviewed photos I sent to them but claims they could not determine cause of fire. The vehicle was properly maintained with routine oil changes. There were no issues with the vehicle prior to this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have a catastrophic engine failure. The dealership (Doherty Ford) in Forest Grove Or acknowledges it. They are working with me. However, Ford has not responded to the dealers request for warranty work. It will be two weeks since I took the car to the dealer with a loud ticking noise. Dealer found a BUNCH of metal in the oil. I'm waiting to hear how Ford will fix it. The car has 45k on it. They also gave me an extended warranty because of all the issues I had with the car when I first got it. The [XXX] steering coupler to the rack was loose and almost came off when I drove it home. I have had a number of other issues. All dealer repaired. The car has also been to Doherty Ford almost exclusively for all its oil changes. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving 70–75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 54,500.

Mileage: 54,500

The recall to replace the rear axle bolt was completed and new boil installed. They left the automatic emergency brake program engager which results in the vehicle lurching forward or backward when shifted into gear and results in collisions with other vehicles as the collision detection system is not working.

My vehicle started to put up messages regarding going into power saver mode. The vehicle then said all wheel drive not available. After that electrical components started going unavailable such as power steering, brake assist, blind spot monitoring, cameras, and traction control. The vehicle then shut down while driving and all I could do was brake. When I attempted to restart the vehicle it did not restart. I jumped it and was able to safely pull it off the road. This is the 2nd time in three weeks this happened. Ford looked at the vehicle and tightened the battery cables. Then told me it was fine.

P25B4- TURBOCHARGER/SUPERCHARGER WASTE GATE (A) STUCK CLOSED P0299- TURBOCHARGER/SUPERCHARGER UNDERBOOST POWERTRAIN AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE IN-OPERABLE, TURNED ON VEHICLE TO DRIVE AND IMMEDIATELY THREW THE TWO CODES ABOVE. FORD SAYS THIS IS NOT A COVERED ISSUE.

The oil crank case is getting fuel inside. In approximately 1000 to 1500 miles there is a 1 quart and a half of fuel in the oil making the oil level overfill. This oil diluting the fuel issue. Seems like it could be a safety issue if it continues to pour gasoline into the oil crank case. My local Ford dealer, Gary Yomans Ford in Daytona Beach Florida. Verified the concern and told me there’s no repair available yet. The technician further stated that it will eventually destroy the engine from the inside. This issue only started this year. There is at this time 30,959 miles on the vehicle.

The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH he depressed the brake pedal to slow for a traffic signal and the vehicle experienced brake failure. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact drove over the median to avoid crashing into vehicles directly in front of his vehicle. The contact stated that he was pumping the brake pedal however, the vehicle seemed to accelerate independently. The contact stated that he attempted to shift the vehicle into neutral(N) however, the shifter dial would not move. The contact stated he had attempted to turn the vehicle off but could not turn off the vehicle. The contact stated he was finally able to stop the vehicle prior to crashing into traffic directional poles. The contact stated that the Police arrived on the scene and wrote a report. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the driver's side front shock absorber was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

Mileage: 22,000

I was sitting at a stop light and when the light turned green I pushed on the gas pedal and I had NO POWER! However, all of my auxillary power worked. Everything inside the car still had power, from my dashboard to my Apple CarPlay but my engine would not turn on. The check engine light did come on but not until it had been sitting there for 20-30 minutes. The Auto Start/Stop was activated so I don't know if there was an issue with that and it just never turned back on. The alternator belt was still intacted. Had it towed to repair shop (took about an hour) when it got to repair shop it started and shop couldn't find anything wrong. It has started every time since. I am afraid to drive it because I don't know if or when it will happen again.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle started shaking and vibrating before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 69,000.

Mileage: 69,000

Last month out of the blue, my 2021 Ford Explorer ST with 15,500 miles would not start. Attempts to jump it were futile. I then had it towed in to the local Ford dealer. At first, they were thinking the starter. A few days later, I got a call saying they could not hand crank the motor as it seized up. In addition to that, they found pieces of metal from the piston in the oil pan. The dealer took apart the intake manifold and found that the valve keeper failed thus dropping the intake valve into the #5 cylinder. This necessitated replacement of the engine, both turbos and even the flywheel and torque converter. This is a known issue with the 2021 Broncos and is even being investigated by the NHTSA. I just wanted to bring awareness that this can happen to the 2021 Explorer with the 3.0 Ecoboost as it was built in the same factory as the Bronco 2.7 and is a similar engine. I can provide the repair invoice upon request. I couldn't get it to upload.

Mileage: 15,500

At 13,000 miles this New vehicle started smoking blue gray smoke on startup I have videos. Yes the Dealer reproduced the problem. The dealer stated that both turbos were defective and leaking oil into the hot exhaust on both sides of the engine which could have lead to a fire and endangered our lives. The dealer removed the engine and transmission from the vehicle in the process broke numerous bolts and repaired with inferior quality parts.after four attempts to pick up the car hoses were left loose and short on antifreeze and Turbo boost hose fell off,now there is a antifreeze burning smell and a rough idle. There were no warning lights or messages. This car was meticulously maintained since brand new I have all records to back up . Ford Corporate has just denied a buy back request and said I don’t qualify for state Lemon law after 2 months at dealer.

Defective Starter - car will not start, battery, alternator check off ok.

On or about 9 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, I entered a parking garage facility and drove up the ramp and continued on a level parking area and begin to turn into a parking space beside a large cement column. Just as I entered the parking space at a low rate of speed without my foot on the accelerator, I experienced sudden unintended acceleration which caused the vehicle to narrowly miss the cement column and the front cement wall of the parking space. Fortunately, I quickly braked to avoid a collision and then put the vehicle in park and shut off the vehicle. There were no warning lights on the vehicle dash, and I have not yet taken the vehicle to an authorized Ford Dealer to have it checked. Vehicle is still under factory order and has approx. 26,700 miles.

When driving at lower speeds, typically under 30 MPH, the vehicle jerks & lurches. Also sometimes lurches, hesitates or doesn’t react on rapid acceleration such as highway merging or passing. Have had many near-misses. Parking, Reverse & Drive do not always engage immediately upon shifting. I nearly ran over my husband when the car was supposed to be in park and it was still in drive. Car will become extremely hot after extended driving causing the A/C to automatically turn to hot air in order to cool the engine. It smells bad and is not at all comfortable on long summer road trips.

Vehicle began smoking after a cold start at around 9000 miles. Dealer confirmed the issue was happening and the engine was replaced, but the smoking problem remains. No warning lamps, indicators, or DTCs have been thrown to help in diagnostic. Thus far, there has been no safety impact due to the issue.

Gear(transmission), when put in reverse the car goes forward instead of reverse, and Jerks in reverse after 7-15 sec. And it also jerks while accelerating.

While driving vehicle, reduced engine power occurred resulting in the vehicle being unable to safely maintain highway speeds. Once safely on side of roadway, vehicle lost all engine power and would start. Vehicle had 11,049 miles on it and had been properly maintained. Attempts to start vehicle were unsuccessfully and engine sounded like internal components had failed (like a bag of rocks inside the engine). Vehicle was towed to Ford dealer in East Peoria, Illinois for examination and repairs. Excessive metal shavings were found in the oil filter and it was discovered internal engine components had failed, causing catastrophic engine failure. Engine block was replaced. Dealer was provided all previous maintenance records to show that the vehicle was properly maintained.

Got it in the car and pushed the push start button. The cars engine turned over only half way and started to restart and turn over multiple times even though the motor was running halfway. This went on for 15 minutes until i opened up the hood and looked down and after a couple minutes the engine seized and turned off and started smoking, shortly after started on fire from the bottom of the engine. The fire went on for 10 minutes until we turned it off.

A police officer complained of a strong odor of exhaust coming through the hvac vents. Officer complained of a light dizziness feeling. Suv was grounded from service. Complaint was verified. Upon opening of the hood a odor of exhaust gas was smelled on the right side of the motor. No visible leaks could be heard or seen. Suv was driven to our local Ford dealer for repair.