Research · complaint index
Ford Explorer Hybrid years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 6 model years of the Ford Explorer Hybrid by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2024 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | Typical |
| 2024 | 8 | 3 | 2.7 | 0 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | Typical |
| 2020 | 4 | 1 | 0.6 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
- 20252 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 20248 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
- 20232 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20221 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 20217 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 20204 complaints · 1 recallTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 8, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2022, 2023.
About this comparison
What Ford Explorer Hybrid years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2024 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 6 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.