Ford Explorer 2023

I rented a 2023 Ford Explorer. I had many issues with the added safety features while renting it, ultimately resulting in an accident. Firstly, the lane keeping assist did not function properly. In construction zones, back roads, and during rainy weather, the vehicle would jerk very hard to one side of the other. Even after trying to shut off the lane keeping assist feature, it it would automatically turn back on. Luckily, most of those incidents would happen in low traffic areas. Until the final time it happened, resulting in a head on collision with another vehicle. Additionally, the screen that displayed the lane assist activity would go blank randomly while driving. Also. There was a constant issue with the a pop up screen saying to keep holding the steering wheel. Even when I would have both hands on the steering wheel, it would pop up, and sometimes, if it wouldn’t disappear in time, the vehicle would start to automatically brake and slow down the vehicles, even if I was going 70+ miles per hour. The last 12 hours of the vehicle rental drive time, the “keep hold of steering wheel” pop up would pop up more and more frequently. To the point where I would have to constantly let go of the steering wheel and re grab it over and over until it eventually disappear.

-Parking brake is auto engaged 100% of the time at start or while shifting out of park or shifting between gears. Drive or reverse -to disengage the park brake you have to depress the accelerator pedal. -Pressure on the accelerator to disengage is inconnsistent every time. -Vehicle lurches uncontrollably when releasing the vehicle off the emergency parking brake setting. -The jolt of the vehicle from the depress pressure is so significant and dangerous causing the risk to hitting any parked vehicle while parallel parking or hitting structure/garage when parking, jolting into traffic from a stopped/parked position or to people walking near the vehicle while trying to manipulate the vehicle. -When the auto hold feature is turned on, it can be assumed to be engaged by pressing the brake pedal but if the pedal isn't engaged with enough full pressure the auto hold will not fully activate. In notification when on is in small green text that can be easily missed/confused with the green symbol similar in size to the green auto headlight setting in the same zone. This can cause someone to believe auto hold in engaged when using peripherial vision for the indicator que without directly taking eyes off the forward condition. This gives the driver a false confidence to remove their foot from the brake and have the vehicle creep forward and can lead to accident or injury.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on the expressway in the center lane, the Forward Collision Avoidance system engaged, and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop and failed to restart. After several minutes the vehicle restarted, and the contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, while in a parking lot, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. After several minutes, the vehicle restarted. The Forward Collision Avoidance warning light illuminated while driving with no other vehicle nearby. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the tailgate warning light illuminated. The contact checked the tailgate and attempted to close the tailgate. There contact was able to place her fingers between the tailgate. The contact depressed the release button, but the tailgate failed to respond. The contact climbed into the vehicle and pushed the tailgate closed, but the tailgate reopened. The tailgate came partially downward. After several attempts, the tailgate was closed. While her husband was driving, the cruise control was inoperable. The contact stated that all the buttons on the steering wheel were stuck. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 6,700.

Request for Inspection and Service – Transmission & Water Leak Issues on 2023 Ford Explorer I’m reaching out regarding my 2023 Ford Explorer, as I’ve recently experienced two concerning issues that I’d like to have inspected and resolved: Transmission Behavior: The vehicle has been showing signs of abnormal transmission performance, including -- “hesitation when accelerating,” “jerky gear shifts at low speed,” or “delayed engagement when shifting from park to drive”. These issues are becoming more noticeable and impact the vehicle’s drivability and safety. Water Leak: I've also discovered a water leak, going down second row seat belts and getting water in corner of sunroof itself. I suspect it may be related to sunroof coming to a complete seal when shut via the buttons on vehicle even though it should be sealed, which I've read may be a known problem on this model. The vehicle is still under warranty, the vehicle has less than 36k milese on it, and I would like to schedule an inspection at your earliest convenience. If there are any recalls, service bulletins, or warranty coverages related to these issues, please let me know. I’d also appreciate a diagnostic without incurring fees for problems that may fall under warranty or known concerns. Thank you in advance for your attention to these matters. I look forward to your reply with next steps. Best regards, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

My 2023 Ford Explorer ST has rolled while parked, turned off, and in Park, with the electronic parking brake engaged. This has occurred multiple times on my residential driveway, which has an approximate 20-degree slope, during light snow conditions. On one occasion, the vehicle rolled backward down the driveway and into the street after being parked and shut off. On another occasion, it rolled forward while parked in the same location. In both cases, the vehicle stopped on its own without driver input. The dashboard indicated the vehicle was in Park, and the electronic parking brake had automatically engaged. This behavior is inconsistent and occurred in both directions, which raises concern that the parking pawl and/or electronic parking brake is not reliably holding the vehicle. Snow may reduce traction, but a properly functioning parking system should prevent a parked vehicle from rolling, especially into the street. After the December 14, 2025 incident, the dealer was contacted and they replaced the parking pawl. The subsequent incidents occurred on January 14, 2026 while both rear facing and forward facing. This appears to be a vehicle rollaway safety defect and presents a serious risk of collision, injury, or property damage. The vehicle has not been modified, and this occurred under normal parking conditions. I am reporting this issue due to the safety risk and concern that the parking system may not be functioning as designed. I do have a video is of the December 14, 2025 incident when the vehicle was unoccupied, parked, turned off, and in Park, with the electronic parking brake engaged.

Every time i was traveling in sport mode, shifting was delayed & was very rough transition to next gear. Car was not accelerating or decelerating properly. Burning smell came from the engine. Car’s electrical momentarily went haywire. Wrench light came on. This happened within 18 hours of purchasing this NEW car. And several times over the subsequent week. Indicator light went on intermittently & so did same problems described above. My safety was put at risk because my car was not driving properly which caused distraction. I was confused about what to do. It also made it difficult to change lanes or speed up/slow down because it was jerky. The dealership i bought it from said a ford engineer came out to inspect the car & that several parts were ordered to fix it, including a battery for the electric motor & a wiring harness. They said it was a big issue and those parts were hard to come by, but i only learned this after 30+ days of the vehicle being under their control. I only dropped it off for a “test.” They did not make documentation of any of this work and would not release records to me. They also declined to release the car to me when i was tired of the lack of transparency. They said they couldnt give it back j til it was fixed but never provided work order with estimate or details of coverage. I never signed anything giving them permission to replace or repair the parts, especially because they would not disclose the ford engineer’s findings to me until a few weeks later after i threatened to invoke my rights under lemon law. They had already taken the car apart & ordered parts by then-without my informed consent.

Vehicle: 2023 Ford Explorer ST VIN: [XXX] I am reporting ongoing safety-related powertrain and drivability defects that continue despite numerous repair attempts, including complete engine and transmission replacement. Since approximately June 2025, my vehicle has experienced delayed acceleration, hesitation, erratic RPM behavior, harsh shifting, loss of power, and intermittent warning lights. The vehicle has also stalled, jerked during acceleration, and exhibited transmission shuddering and lurching. The problems have been repeatedly reproduced, documented, inspected, and repaired by Kendall Ford of Anchorage, Alaska, the sole servicing Ford dealership involved. Repairs have included replacement of fuel injectors, cylinder heads, a complete engine assembly, and a complete transmission assembly. Despite these repairs, the safety concerns remain. Current symptoms include: • 1-4 second delay in throttle response. • Vehicle may fail to accelerate below approximately 30 mph. • Engine RPM rises significantly without proportional vehicle acceleration. • Erratic shifting, surging, and harsh jolts. • Intermittent check engine lights, FordPass alerts, and electrical warnings. These conditions create a significant safety risk because the vehicle may fail to accelerate when entering the highway, merging into traffic, crossing traffic, making left turns, or avoiding hazards. The delayed throttle response and sudden acceleration after the delay increase the risk of a crash. Attached service records document stalling, misfires, loss of propulsion concerns, and repeated powertrain failures requiring replacement of both the engine and transmission, yet the drivability concerns continue. I believe this may involve a defect in the powertrain, transmission controls, engine management system, electronic throttle control system, or related vehicle control modules. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate these recurring safety-related defects. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE F

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The steering system failed completely while the vehicle was in motion. It is currently at the Ford service center in Cocoa, Florida, and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My wife and our two children (ages [XXX] and [XXX] ) were nearly killed due to this catastrophic steering failure. While traveling at approximately 70 MPH on [XXX] near West Melbourne, Florida (between exits XXX and XXX) in the far right lane, the vehicle suddenly and without warning jerked aggressively to the left, crossing into the center lane, nearly causing a high-speed collision with a semi-truck. The truck driver was able to swerve just in time to avoid an accident. At that point, the vehicle became extremely difficult to steer. It continued to pull to the left, and it required all of my wife's strength to get it off the highway and safely stopped on the shoulder. The safety of multiple drivers on the interstate was compromised due to this failure. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? We are currently awaiting confirmation. The vehicle is in the possession of the Ford service center in Cocoa, Florida, and they are attempting to diagnose the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle is currently with Ford. We were told they are trying to recreate the issue by driving it in a field behind the dealership, but as of now, they have not taken the vehicle back out on the road or highway for testing. The Florida Highway Patrol was called at the time of the incident, but they did not dispatch a trooper since there was no crash or contact with another vehicle. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. There were no INFO