Ford

Ford’s lineup spans everything from a compact hatchback to heavy-duty trucks, and reliability varies enormously across that range – a Ranger and an Explorer don’t share much beyond the badge. This guide covers what that means in practice: real reliability data, the specific issues found on the Explorer, and what to know before buying.

Ford Recalls & Safety Notices

Model years 2017–2026

LIVE DATA · SOURCE: NHTSA

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— All models (5 latest recalls) —BroncoBronco 2drBronco 4drBronco SportBronco Sport Early ReleaseBronco Sport Later ReleaseC-maxCmax EnergiCmax HevE-150E-250E-350E-450EconolineEcosportEdgeEscapeEscape GasEscape HevEscape HybridEscape PhevExpeditionExpedition ElExpedition MaxExplorerExplorer GasExplorer HevExplorer Police InterceptF-150F-150 Regular CabF-150 Super CabF-150 (regular Cab) GasF-150 (super Cab) GasF-150 (super Crew) GasF-150 (super Crew) HevF-150 (super Crew) Hev HevF-150 (super Crew) Lightning BevF-150 Crew CabF-150 Regular CabF-150 Super CabF-150 Super Cab DieselF-150 Super CrewF-150 Super Crew DieselF-150 Super Crew HevF-150 SupercabF-150 Supercab DieselF-250 (crew Cab)F-250 (regular Cab)F-250 (super Cab)F-250 Crew CabF-250 Regular CabF-250 SdF-250 Super CabF-250 SupercabF-250 TremorF-250 Tremor (crew Cab)F-250 Tremor Crew CabF-350 (crew Cab)F-350 (regular Cab)F-350 (super Cab)F-350 CrewF-350 Crew CabF-350 Regular CabF-350 SdF-350 Super CabF-350 Super CrewF-350 SupercabF-450F-450 SdF-53F-550F-550 SdF-59F-600 SdF-650F-650 SdF-750F-750 SdF53F550FiestaFlexFocusFocus BevFocus RsFusionFusion EnergiFusion HevMaverickMaverick Early ReleaseMaverick HevMaverick Hev Early ReleaseMaverick Hev HevMaverick Hev Later ReleaseMaverick Later ReleaseMustangMustang ConvertibleMustang CoupeMustang Gt350rMustang Gt500Mustang Mach-eMustang Mach-e BevMustang Mach-e Bev BevPolice Interceptor UtilitRangerRanger (super Cab)Ranger (super Crew)Ranger Super CabRanger Super CrewTaurusTransitTransit Medium Roof (8,10,12) PassTransit ConnectTransit Connect VanTransit Connect WagonTransit High RoofTransit High Roof (8,10,12) PassTransit High Roof 12 PassTransit High Roof 15 PassTransit High Roof(8,10,12) PassTransit Low Roof (8,10,12) PassTransit Low Roof 12 PassTransit Low Roof 15 PassTransit Low Roof(8,10,12) PassTransit Medium Roof (8,10,12) PassTransit Medium Roof 12 PassTransit Medium Roof 15 PassTransit Medium Roof(8,10,12) PassTransit VanTransit Van - GasTransit Van Battery ElectricTransit Van BevTransit Van GasTransit Wagon - High Roof 12 PassTransit Wagon - High Roof 15 PassTransit Wagon - Low Roof 12 PassTransit Wagon - Low Roof 15 PassTransit Wagon - Med Roof 12 PassTransit Wagon - Med Roof 15 PassShow

Ford — 5 latest recalls (all models)

Most recent NHTSA safety recalls across every Ford model.

Live · NHTSA

Date	Vehicle	Campaign	Component	Summary
2026-06-30	Ford Mustang MY 2026	26V418000 ↗	VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Mustang and 2025-2026 Mustang GTD vehicles. During certain cold temperature conditions, the windshield wipers may function only at their high-speed setting and the washing system may fail to function properly. Consequence Windshield wipers or a washing system that fails to function as intended can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the wiper motor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C32. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 2, 2026.
2026-05-27	Ford Bronco Sport MY 2026	26V340000 ↗	SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle. Consequence A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 4, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
2026-04-14	Ford Bronco Sport MY 2026	26V239000 ↗	EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Maverick and 2026 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L MPC engine and an engine block heater. The engine block heater may overheat when the vehicle is parked with the block heater plugged in. Consequence An overheated engine block heater can increase the risk of a fire. Remedy Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, and inspect and replace the electrical cord if necessary, free of charge. Owners will also have an alternative option to replace the engine block heater element with a threaded plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2026. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V343. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S52. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 14, 2026.
2026-04-14	Ford F-59 MY 2026	26V235000 ↗	WHEELS:HUB	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 F-59 and F-53 vehicles. The front axle hub assembly may be missing the spindle nut and cotter pin. Consequence A missing spindle nut may lead to brake system damage or wheel detachment, resulting in a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the front axle spindle nut and cotter pin as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 4, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S27. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 16, 2026.
2026-03-31	Ford Bronco Sport MY 2026	26V201000 ↗	AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER	Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) unit may fail to correctly detect the presence of an adult or child in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." Consequence Failure to correctly detect a passenger may result in the air bag not deploying as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. Remedy Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant classification sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C19. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) · Updated hourly

A Wide Range, A Wide Range of Outcomes

Ford’s reliability reputation depends heavily on which model and generation you’re looking at. Simpler, mechanically conservative models tend to hold up well; models built around major architectural changes, like the current-generation Explorer’s shift to a new rear-wheel-drive-based platform, tend to carry more first-generation risk. That pattern, a rocky launch followed by gradual improvement through running production changes, shows up repeatedly across Ford’s recent history.

Explore Ford Models

This guide covers the Explorer in depth below – the most-documented Ford model on this site. Other models will link out here as their own guides are published.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Fords reliable?

It varies significantly by model and generation. Ford doesn’t have a single brand-wide reliability story the way some manufacturers do – check the specific model and model year rather than assuming based on the badge alone.