Model year 2027 · Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2027 Ford Explorer: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2027 Ford Explorer at 19–23 mpg combined across 8 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 0 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

19–23

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as EXPLORER HYBRID.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Ford dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2027 Ford Explorer recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2027 Ford Explorer, newest first.

Seats: Front assembly: Power adjust

NHTSA 26V470000 Reported Jul 21, 2026

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 26S53)
Units affected: 76,748 (estimate)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.
Risk: Unexpected movement of the driverâs seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will disable the driver seat module (DSM) feature until parts are available. Once available, the motor will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert and 1 more component

NHTSA 26V415000 Reported Jun 30, 2026

Filed by: Ford Motor Company (manufacturer recall no. 26S51)
Components: Forward collision avoidance: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert; Back over prevention: Warnings: External/pedestrian alert
Units affected: 66,383 (estimate)
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2027 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and 2025-2027 Explorer Hybrid vehicles. A software error may prevent the vehicle from making the pedestrian warning sound at certain speeds.
Risk: A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Note: This is an expansion of Recall 25V691. Any vehicles previously repaired under 25V691 must have the new remedy completed. Ford will release an over-the-air (OTA) update or dealers will update the APIM software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will replace the digital signal processing module in Nautilus Hybrid vehicles equipped with 28 speakers, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S51. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 7, 2026.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2027 Ford Explorer fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2027 Ford Explorer EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Explorer AWD	2.3L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/27/23 mpg	$2,900	394
Explorer AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/24/20 mpg	$3,350	447
Explorer AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-speed	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/24/20 mpg	$3,350	445
Explorer RWD	2.3L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	20/28/23 mpg	$2,900	380
Explorer RWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-speed	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/25/20 mpg	$3,350	439
Explorer RWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	Regular	18/26/21 mpg	$3,200	426
Explorer Tremor AWD	2.3L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	Regular	18/22/20 mpg	$3,350	445
Explorer Tremor AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	Automatic 10-spd	Part-time 4-Wheel Drive	Regular	17/22/19 mpg	$3,550	469

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2027 Ford Explorer crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2027 Ford Explorer NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2027 FORD EXPLORER SUV HEV 4WD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	—	No
2027 FORD EXPLORER SUV HEV RWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	—	No
2027 FORD EXPLORER SUV ICE 4WD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	15.1%	No
2027 FORD EXPLORER SUV ICE RWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	14.7%	No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2027 Ford Explorer owner complaints

NHTSA's complaint files list no owner complaints for the 2027 Ford Explorer received since January 1, 2015.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Ford Explorer model years

Ford Explorer by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Explorer	19–24 mpg	15	42	5/5
2025 Explorer	20–24 mpg	22	109	5/5
2024 Explorer	20–24 mpg	10	21	5/5
2023 Explorer	20–27 mpg	15	114	5/5
2022 Explorer	19–27 mpg	25	273	—
2021 Explorer	19–27 mpg	27	458	5/5
2020 Explorer	19–28 mpg	35	1,251	5/5
2019 Explorer	18–22 mpg	6	300	5/5
2018 Explorer	18–22 mpg	7	737	5/5
2017 Explorer	18–22 mpg	14	1,713	5/5
2016 Explorer	18–22 mpg	14	2,485	5/5
2015 Explorer	18–23 mpg	8	1,816	5/5

All Ford Explorer years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2027 Ford models

2027 Ford Expedition

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Ford.