TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY SPEED LIMIT WAS75 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL
2009 Ford Explorer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Ford Explorer are lower than the model-year median of 609.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Explorer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
26 reports with mileage · 7 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
33 reportsMY CAR HAS AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND I HAVE CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND A FEW ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.
SUV SEEMS TO BE IDLED DURING START UP OR EVEN WHEN DRIVING. SOUNDS AIRY LIKE ITS TRYING TO ACCELERATE. ALSO I HAVE HAD BREAK PADS REPLACED MORE THAN USUAL. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE GONE OUT MORE THAN NORMAL. EACH TIME GOING OUT BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. TODAY, CAR WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND CAR SPENT OUT OF CO…
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SUV SEEMS TO BE IDLED DURING START UP OR EVEN WHEN DRIVING. SOUNDS AIRY LIKE ITS TRYING TO ACCELERATE. ALSO I HAVE HAD BREAK PADS REPLACED MORE THAN USUAL. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE GONE OUT MORE THAN NORMAL. EACH TIME GOING OUT BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED. TODAY, CAR WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND CAR SPENT OUT OF CONTROL SPINNING AROUND 3 TIMES BEFORE IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS TOOK PLACE IN THE PARKING LOT OF WALMART. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOWN AND COUNTRY FORD (5041 FORD PARKWAY, BESSEMER, ALABAMA 35022, (205)491-0000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOWN AND COUNTRY FORD (5041 FORD PARKWAY, BESSEMER, ALABAMA 35022, (205)491-0000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,684. *TT CONSUMER STATED CAR WOULD STOP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *JB
THROTTLE BODY ISSUES, INTERMITTENT STAHLS, PEDAL SURING FORWARD WHEN ACCELERATED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ A DEFECT IN THE 2009 FORD MODELS. MY TRUCK IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REPAIR AND I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE EXPENSES OF REPAIRING THIS DEFECT.
THE SHIFTER DOES NOT STAY IN PLACE. THE CAR DOES NOT STAY IN GEAR. IT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS BECAUSE THE PIN IN SHIFTER IS NOT WORKING.
FORD: MY 2009 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER V6 EXHIBITS AN INTERMITTENT FAULT/ALARM WITH THE RSC SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING ON PUBLIC ROADS (STREET, FREEWAY, HIGHWAY). ALL THE INSTANCES OCCURRED HAD BEEN PROPERLY DOCUMENTED AND DISCUSSED WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN REPEATED VISITS THAT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED ON THEIR BOOKS. IN ALL INSTANC…
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FORD: MY 2009 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER V6 EXHIBITS AN INTERMITTENT FAULT/ALARM WITH THE RSC SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING ON PUBLIC ROADS (STREET, FREEWAY, HIGHWAY). ALL THE INSTANCES OCCURRED HAD BEEN PROPERLY DOCUMENTED AND DISCUSSED WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN REPEATED VISITS THAT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED ON THEIR BOOKS. IN ALL INSTANCES THE ALARM IS *** NOT *** REGISTERED IN THE NON-VOLATILE MEMORY (NVM) PORTION OF THE ON BOARD COMPUTER CODE IS B1432 CONTROL MODULE FAILURE
2009 FORD EXPLORER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WHEEL SEPARATION WHICH RESULTED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. *LD *JS
IN MAY 2017 I HAD SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY 2009 FORD SUV (INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND TURN OF ALL FOUR ROTORS) AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. ON MAY 13, 2017, MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND OUR TWO CHILDREN (BOTH MINORS, AGES 2 AND 8) WERE INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO A WHEEL SEPARATION OF MY SERVICED FO…
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IN MAY 2017 I HAD SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY 2009 FORD SUV (INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS AND TURN OF ALL FOUR ROTORS) AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. ON MAY 13, 2017, MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND OUR TWO CHILDREN (BOTH MINORS, AGES 2 AND 8) WERE INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO A WHEEL SEPARATION OF MY SERVICED FORD SUV. MY FORD SUV WAS TOWED BACK TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD DAMAGE TO MY FORD SUV INCLUDED: 1) A FAILED WHEEL BEARING AND 2) ALL FIVE LUG NUTS ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAD SHEERED OFF. I WAS TOLD ALL PREVIOUS WORK PERFORMED ON MY FORD SUV FOLLOWED PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION (BY MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP) INTO THE CAUSE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. AS OF MAY 30, 2017, NO INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS WERE REPORTED TO ME; AND I AGAIN REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES IN JUNE 2017, AND JULY 2017. AS OF AUGUST 2017, NO INVESTIGATIVE REPORT NOR FINDINGS WERE PROVIDED TO ME. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES OF MY FORD SUV INCLUDING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION BECAUSE FORD MOTOR COMPANY PUBLICLY REFERENCES CORPORATE POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES RELATED TO PRODUCT QUALITY, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS APPLYING TO ITS GLOBAL OPERATIONS. AS OF NOVEMBER 2017, NO RECONSTRUCTION REPORT NOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORT NOR FINDINGS WERE PROVIDED TO ME BY EITHER FORD MOTOR COMPANY OR MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. I PROVIDED NOTICE TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP I WOULD CONTACT THE NHTSA REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS EVENT(S) ASSERTING MY CONSUMER PROTECTED RIGHTS TO INFORMATION, HONEST SERVICES, SAFETY, CHOICE, AND EQUAL PROTECTION HAD BEEN VIOLATED. I REQUEST MY SAFETY COMPLAINT BE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT MULTIPLE PARTS NEEDED TO B…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT MULTIPLE PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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