2017 Ford Explorer Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, "The Engine Coolant Low" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle and noticed that there was no coolant inside the reservoir. The contact's husband added coolant to the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into the A/C compressor and that pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was repaired two more times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
I was driving my 2017 Ford Explorer on 10/14/22 and the engine started shaking aggressively randomly. So, I took it to our local Mechanic shop . They said that from the engine shaking, it had broken the engine mounts, and it had an internal problem. I had paid $200 to fix the engine mount. So, they had a service bulletin and said Ford should fix it for free because it’s a known problem. They had provided me with the service bulletin 22-2287. My husband took the copy of the bulletin to ford, and brought the car. Explained that it already had other recalls on it that needed to be fixed and showed him the service bulletin. He asked if it would be covered and the guy said “It should be”. Then, we proceed to get a call the next day that it’s not covered because it hasn’t “officially” been recalled and it would be$4200 to fix. Even though the engine is going to ruin the parts in a few years because it’s the engine causing the other parts to overheat. So, I told them I wanted to get a second opinon, and they charged me “diagnostic fee” of $213.76, even tho they told my husband the diagnostic fee if it wasn’t covered would be $80. So, after months of fighting ford to make things right,I had the car towed to a local transmission shop , and had them repair it for 4,655.. I go to pick it up, and it’s still shaking. So bring it back, and they fix it again, Well, it’ still not fixed. Then, they fix it again, and I pick it up, the transmission isn’t running correctly.I have been without a working car since 10/14/22. So, now they are fixing it again and putting another brand new transmission in. Ford needs to be held responsible. This is a known issue, and could lead to someone getting into a terrible accident when the engine falls through the car, and could kill someone. The engine itself it heating up other components of the car, and ruining it. As of today, 02/27/2025 the transmission is starting to have problems again! When I am driving and come to a stop it wont accelerate
Check engine light came on while driving on highway. I had a OBD reader with me and plugged it in. Came back with a cylinder misfire. Took it to a local mechanic to get new plugs and coils. Mechanic cleared the code but the light came back on. I took it to another mechanic that I trust who found coolant in the oil due to cracked heads. Mechanic gave me information about this 3.5l motor being known to have this problem to take back to dealer. 3 months of waiting and having to argue that despite being out of warranty, they knew this motor was bad and should replace it. Ford finally put a new motor in. Drove for 6 more months and just had the check engine light come back. Cylinder misfire again. They shouldn't be allowed to sell this motor knowing that it can leave people stranded. This is criminal. Will never buy a Ford again. They KNOW this motor is trash but keep letting unsuspecting consumers foot the bill be cause they assume it's a one off. Shame!
1. The cylinder head gasket (2.3L Eng Standard EJ7Z-6079-F) had cracked due to a problem that my mechanic said was common for engines of this make / year. 2. If this had not been fixed could have damaged the cylinder head and totaled the vehicle, is my understanding. 3. Yes 4. No 5. I noticed the engine felt different and the check engine light was sporadically on and off. First occurred Nov, 2024.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her sister was operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the long block engine was faulty and needed to be replaced, due to excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 97,575.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle began vibrating abnormally, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled and the contact was forced to park on the side of the road to attempt to restart the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into engine, which caused damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Was driving my vehicle on the highway when it start chugging and died. Had to act Fast to get off the highway as there was no shoulder nor warning. I had the vehicle towed to my shop and they confirmed the engine was done. The water pump gave out while driving with no warning and took the engine out. It appears after doing some research Ford has 2 years of Explorers (2016 & 2017) that they did an internal water pump. So when the water pump goes out it dumps all the antifreeze into the oil pan. There are many complaints out online about this same exact thing and Ford will do nothing about it. I was stuck with a $12,500.00 bill for a vehicle that has 73,989 yes that is right not even 75K on the car. Ford is a joke and this definitely a safety concern as it just dies with no warning and takes the engine out. Something needs to be done before people get hurt as all these 2 years worth of Explorers will have this same issue. Whomever designed a waterpump on the inside of the engine should be investigated. I will upload the estimate as that is what I have on me. Be I do have the repair bill at home as we just got it back after 5 weeks
Car was misfiring, oil in the spark plugs. Took it to our mechanic and basically told us we need a new engine. The car in a 2017 with 143,000 miles. There was coolant in cylinder 1 of the engine. Mechanic said cylinder walls are not properly sealed causing the head gasket to fail repeatedly even after replacement.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle shuddered abnormally and almost stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence and while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that water and coolant were leaking under the engine compartment. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated, and the vehicle started shaking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
2.3L 4 cylinder engine has coolant intrusion causing a blown head gasket and requiring a super expensive repair that should be falling to Ford not the consumer. This is a design flaw and should be fixed ASAP. Coolant should not be intruding and leaking. This engine has around 76,000 miles and has only been owned for 1 year. Very disappointed in this.
I was driving , when I heard a strange noise. Luckily I was about a mile from work. I listened more, Checked my check engine lights, as I was passing the local ford dealership. They were not on. I proceeded to the stop light. My car began to miss. I had just put gas in, I assumed it was bad gas, still no engine lights. I made it 3 blocks it started missing bad, going through an intersection. Now its making a bubbling noise. No check engine, but the heat gage is half the way up. I stop in a driveway. put it in park for 15 minutes, to cool it down. I restart my car, I move it 4 yards to park along the street. Now my car will not move at all. We had it towed to the dealership. My engine is ruined. I did not drive my car more then a mile after the noise of what the dealership said, was system blowing up, that's in the engine. As a result this has blown my engine and I now need a new one. We had just been on vacation from Ohio to the Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. My husband checked fluids, added a little of both oil and Antifreeze before we left on Oct 17, 24. There was no antifreeze in the oil or oil in the antifreeze. We were only back a day when this happened . When the radiator blew up, it never set off my check engine lights. Even when the vehicle could no longer move, there were no check engine lights on. My vehicle was making a bubbling sound, yet my hot gages never went completely to hot. At the most the were about 3/4 of the way. The radiator blew and in a few short minutes my engine completely locked, this happening within a mile. Lucky for me, I was in a small town, when it occurred. Its been 3 weeks and I am still waiting on an engine. I have been told its because so many of the explores are having the same issue. I have to come up with 10,000.00 to replace the engine of a vehicle I still owe on. It just turned 100,000 miles in Michigan
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened and the contact was referred to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,685.
Engine shake due for engine mounting damage on transmission and engine mount 3 xplorer 2017 was at the same shop same problem
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the oil dipstick had been ejected, allowing the orifice to leak oil onto the engine. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was able to determine that the engine was building excessive internal pressure but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 121,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked violently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC code: P0300; and determined that there was an engine misfire. The contact's husband replaced the coil pack and spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where DTC code: P219C was retrieved. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be taken apart for further diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 34,820.
The water pump is in the engine on this vehicle. You have no clue if it is leaking and it can cause your vehicle's engine to blow. It is also a very very costly repair for a water pump.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the code indicating the vehicle had been overheating had been displayed however the vehicle had not overheated. The contact's spouse had replaced the sensor but then shortly after while driving 50 MPH the code displayed itself again and the vehicle overheated. The failure had become more persistent and would overheat while driving at various speeds. The Engine Coolant Low warning would illuminate and the message letting them know the engine was overheating had illuminated. The gauge displaying the vehicle temperature would show increased temperatures. The contact noticed at first the vehicle would cool itself down and whenever they would accelerate the vehicle would cool down. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the thermostat, water pump, head, and head gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The thermostat, water pump, head, and head gasket were all replaced. The dealer had completed an engine flush and oil change coolant flush and refilled the coolant. The failures persisted and the vehicle had been taken to the dealer a total of 3 times. The dealer diagnosed the engine block had failed causing water to enter cylinder #1 causing engine failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure where it was confirmed the VIN was not covered under recall. The manufacturer had referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 147,371.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, a message that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket was cracked. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where a Ford certified mechanic diagnosed the vehicle. The mechanic made the same assessment and determined that the head gasket and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the engine temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the internal water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted, and it was stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 59,800.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local Pep Boys, where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure recurred while driving 60 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with oil intrusion into the piston rings and cylinder #3. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion in cylinder #4 and on the spark plugs. The dealer recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
2017 Ford Explorer 2.3L Ecoboost with 77,000 miles. Check engine light came on and I scanned the car for a cylinder 3 misfire. Changed all spark plugs and coil packs. Cleared the code and Cylinder 3 misfire is showing again. Overheating while idle. Car appears to be gulping down coolant with no sign of leaks.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an excessive amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The driver pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the turbo charger. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the two turbo chargers had previously been replaced 16,000 miles prior to the failure. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V925000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 91,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the vehicle was overheating, and the A/C was blowing hot air. The contact also stated that the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who found a failure with the water pump, which affected the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer under Warranty. The contact related the failure with an unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
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The 2017 Ford Explorer has 184 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.