Best and worst years for the Ford Explorer

Of the 36 model years of the Ford Explorer with enough data to compare, the 2002 has the most complaints filed within five years of the model year (2,030), and the 2009 has the fewest (24).

Complaints in the first five years, by model year

Most complaints
Fewest complaints
In between

Every bar counts only complaints about failures within five years of the model year, so older and newer years are measured on the same footing.

View the numbers

Model year	Complaints (first five years; total for recent years)
1990	2
1991	280
1992	365
1993	540
1994	765
1995	609
1996	1,178
1997	1,326
1998	1,473
1999	1,100
2000	734
2001	310
2002	2,030
2003	755
2004	929
2005	303
2006	490
2007	139
2008	86
2009	24
2010	93
2011	680
2012	478
2013	1,223
2014	1,006
2015	1,194
2016	1,631
2017	961
2018	465
2019	244
2020	1,542
2021	604
2022	383
2023	159
2024	28
2025	167
2026	65

What stands out

The 2002 stands out, with about 3.5 times the typical number of complaints. Other years well above the median: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999.

Look closer at the years with the most complaints: 2002 and 2016. Or the years with the fewest: 2009 and 2024.

All model years

Model year	First five years	All complaints
2026	65	65
2025	167	167
2024	28	28
2023	159	159
2022	383	383
2021	604	604
2020	1,542	1,755
2019	244	349
2018	465	896
2017	961	2,080
2016	1,631	3,052
2015	1,194	2,265
2014	1,006	2,057
2013	1,223	2,800
2012	478	1,037
2011	680	1,501
2010	93	155
2009	24	49
2008	86	217
2007	139	271
2006	490	788
2005	303	604
2004	929	1,647
2003	755	1,369
2002	2,030	4,100
2001	310	503
2000	734	1,203
1999	1,100	1,737
1998	1,473	2,374
1997	1,326	2,150
1996	1,178	1,818
1995	609	1,048
1994	765	1,531
1993	540	1,151
1992	365	848
1991	280	764
1990	2	12