Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 Ford Explorer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 75 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 75, in the owner's own words
There are 2 recalls that have not been acted on by Homer Skelton Ford of Millington, LLC. It has been almost two years and the dealership continues to state they do not have the parts to fix the recalls. The two recalls are not indicated as active, so I’m not sure if they claimed they already fixed them in their system. The recalls are for the rubber around the windshield and the panels near the windshield.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). While driving approximately 60 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the residence, inspected, and confirmed that the driver’s side B-pillar trim was missing. The contact stated that the electrical system on the tailgate had stopped working as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that the tailgate would not open because the electrical system was disconnected, and the trim had fallen off. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the dome light remained illuminated and turned off approximately 4-5 seconds later. Additionally, while the vehicle was in reverse(R) on several occasions, the dome light illuminated, and the contact was unable to see out of the rear window. The vehicle was not repaired because parts for the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
No warning. It was cold out. I ran into a store. Came back to my car and started it. The rear window defrost automatically turned on. I sat for a few minutes to let my car warm up and the back window exploded. I heard the loud explosion like a gun shot. Look back and the window exploded all into the vehicle. If I had a child in the 3rd row seat they would have had glass all over them. Possibly causing harm to any rear passenger. I since have had the window replaced. But after doing research about complaints. this has happened to several people. Even several times. This is a safety concern and should be thoroughly investigated!
No impact shattering of rear window. I entered the car and closed the driver’s side door when I heard the window shatter.
Windshield wipers worked when they wanted to for a while not anymore. It's impossible to see in the rain or clear the windshield when driving
I spoke to the service manager at Hub City Ford located at [XXX] about the rubber around windshield was dry rotting and had came completely off. I was told that there was a recall that would fix the issue last year and so I waited for the call. During this time the vehicle started making this very loud whistling noise once the vehicle got to 40 mph. I was contacted n October of 2025 about getting the window fixed. We scheduled an appointment and someone came to fix the issue however once they left I notice that they only fixed to left and right side and did not fix the top and bottom of window so I called the manager back. The manager insisted that this was the only parts they were going to fix and if we wanted the rest fixed we would have to pay out of pocket which would’ve cost around $800. This is very concerning to me because why would they only fix half of the problem with no explanation on why the rest would not be fixed. Since then I have called to complain about the loud whistling that is still there and now water is leaking inside of vehicle. Since the leak started we have has problems with the electrical system and windshield wipers coming on with no rain. I really need help because this is the only vehicle I have to drive to my doctors appointments as an elderly [XXX] ), wheelchair bound female. If the vehicle electrical system were to fail I would be stranded wherever it breaks down because my vehicle carries my wheelchair on a lift. I am also considered fully disabled and so I only receive Social Security as my primary income. I can not afford the $800 cost of fixing a problem that is a clear malfunction of the vehicle versus wear and tear problem. I have not where else to turn and since I live in [XXX] now my means of getting around f consist of my daughter using my vehicle to take me to appointments because I no longer have a driver’s license. I am dependent of my vehicle and the rain in BEH is getting worse. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)
The rear tailgate window has blown out twice. First time 2/10/2026 and again 3/22/2026. Both times happened while parked with the car running.
Issue: Rear liftgate window on my 2017 Ford Explorer Sport spontaneously shattered without any impact. Conditions: Occurred in cold weather (approx. 5 F) within 30 minutes of starting the vehicle. Description: The glass failed suddenly with an explosive sound and scattered fragments inside and outside the vehicle. There were no prior cracks, chips, or external forces. Safety Concern: Sudden loss of rear visibility, risk of injury from flying glass, and potential hazard to pedestrians or nearby vehicles. Pattern: Multiple owners of 2017 Explorers report the same issue—rear window shattering in cold weather or during defroster use—suggesting a possible systemic defect in the rear glazing or defroster system. Request: Please review this incident as part of a potential defect trend and assess whether an investigation is warranted.
The windshield wipers activate by themselves, even when it is not raining and there is no water.
In January of 2025 the rear windshield suddenly blew a hole in it after starting the vehicle with the remote start. I was advised that due to the cold temperatures and then the heat from the rear defrost caused this to occur. On Wednesday 12/31/25, the same exact thing happened. My vehicle was parked at my home in the garage when I remote started it. A few minutes later, my daughter and I got in, started it, then proceeded to back up when we heard a loud boom. Same thing happened as the first issue in January of 2025. No reason, no damage and it blows a hole it in near the rear wiper. This is causing glass shards to explode into the interior.
To whom it may concern, I am writing to formally file a complaint with ford. I request immediate assistance regarding multiple open recalls on my 2017 Ford Explorer Platinum. Despite multiple attempts to have these recalls addressed by my local Ford dealership and others, they have refused to perform all the necessary repairs. When I asked if they could at least order the required parts, I was informed that they would not, due to the parts being on back order with no timeline of when they would be available. This situation has become increasingly concerning, as one of the un repaired recalls has now led to water intrusion inside my vehicle, causing additional damage. Along with other recalls that are further causing damage. I depend on my vehicle daily, and the ongoing delays and lack of action from the dealership have only worsened the condition of my vehicle. At this point, I am requesting further help. I believe this situation warrants urgent attention, as it involves manufacturer-issued safety recalls that remain unresolved through no fault of my own, after various attempts to get these recalls fixed. I would appreciate a prompt response confirming that this case has been escalated to the appropriate department.
Exterior windshield A-pillar flew off on the highway and ford said the repair was suppose to be ready on the latter half of 2024. This repair is not being dealt with in a timely manor. Manufacturer Recall Number 24S0. NHTSA Recall Number24V031.
The weather stripping/seals around the windshield are crumbling/cracking and fly off the vehicle while driving and when loose create wind noise/rattle. Both sides and base near hood called a cowl I believe. Dealer indicated the cowl and trim could be replaced but would require significant labor and was not part of the A pillar recall. I asked if windshield was at risk or if it was just cosmetic and was advised no safety concern.
So for starters the visibility wipers should have a auto wiper function as in when it detects rain they will automatically come on. Well they do but they also come on at random intervals even when it’s not raining. Secondly the glove box design is horribly engineered and it falls apart by its self. My glove box flew open while driving down the road and caused me to run off the roadway with my kids in the car. Luckily my kids and I are safe and no one was hurt but something should be done about this. The tension cord that hooks to the glove box just snapped from the looks of it.
This recall has been out for over a year and a half and I still do not have parts. It is LOUD in my car. At what point, can I get it fixed myself and charge it back to ford? thank you
The windshield wipers on my 2017 Ford Explorer will not turn off, when the vehicle is. Of course the wiper switch is in the OFF position and it persists. This issue began without warning and continues consistently. This is distracting, obstructing my vision, and giving me a headache every time I get in my car. This potentially dangerous while driving, especially in dry conditions where the wipers can damage the windshield or reduce visibility by smearing debris. Based on online forums and other owner reports, this appears to be a common issue affecting many 2017 Ford Explorer owners. It also seems to be common in early models of the same generation meaning it has been a known issue and hasn’t been resolved. This should be investigated as a potential manufacturing defect. A malfunctioning wiper system can create a hazardous driving condition and may warrant a recall
The top and bottom rubber of the windshield is corroded, falling off, and flapping against the windshield. It is also making a whistling noise and wind is coming into vehicle from the top. I was told that the recall would fix that but once they came to fix it they only did the left and right side of windows and left the rest the way it was. I expressed my concerns on a few occasions but they refused to fix it. I’m an elderly wheelchair bound female whose only transportation method is this vehicle. I have my daughter driving me to doctor’s appointments and the whole time I’m in the vehicle I’m afraid the windshield will fly off. The noise is so loud and hard to hear. The sun roof appears to be leaking as well so air could be seeping though there too. The windshield wipers go off by themselves even when it’s off or not raining. Even when the wipers are on there’s a big delay to wipe windows which makes it hard to see. I’m not sure if any of these issues are related but they have been brought to the attention of the manufacturer with no response.
Safety Recall Notice 24S02 / NHTSA Recall 24V031 for my 2017 Explorer was done in January 2024 and I received the letter in February 2024. The parts still aren't available after 9 months which is unacceptable. I am now having to use long strips of duct tape on my windshield to hold these loose parts in place which affects my vision to drive and my windshield wipers to work correctly. I wasn't in any accident but concerned about what may happen. This has been going on since July 2024 when I went to the beach and we were going down interstate the piece came loose. We have been using duct tape since that has to be replaced weekly Nothing should take this long and replacements parts need to be made available to repair as soon as possible.
In addition to the details involving NHTSA Safety Recall 24V031, any trim at the top of the windshield has either deteriorated or fallen completely off, while the material below the windshield is rotting away. This all makes me worry that the windshield could potentially shatter or come off on the road. I am not sure when the problem occurred or started to occur and I just became aware of it.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the front driver’s side windshield trim detached from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the contact was informed that the trims and the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the air conditioner system blew out hot air when activated. As a result, the children in the vehicle felt overwhelmed by the impact of the heat while driving in hot weather conditions. The contact mentioned living in a hot climate state. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the A/C condenser needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
All plastic parts around all doors and windows have become detached. Windshield wipers do not stay on. All lights and gps go haywire and flash on and off gps system goes off and makes loud buzzing noise
The trim around my windshield fell off while driving. I called a local ford store, Ed Martin Ford in Anderson, Indiana and was told the current recall does not cover this.
The black trim/molding around the front windshield is breaking and perking off in chunks while driving on the freeway.
A piece of the driver side exterior column flew off and into windshield causing crack and poor visibility because of it.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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