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…
2009 Ford Explorer cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2009 Ford Explorer have filed 5 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2005 Explorer | 33 |
| 2006 Explorer | 17 |
| 2007 Explorer | 7 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 |
| 2009 Explorer (this page) | 5 |
| 2010 Explorer | 8 |
| 2011 Explorer | 9 |
| 2012 Explorer | 8 |
| 2013 Explorer | 21 |
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 5 cruise control complaints filed for the 2009 Ford Explorer, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
I started the explorer and went about 300 feet and pulled over to allow an emergency vehicle to pass. The explorer continued to accelerate but was held back by the brakes until I shut the engine off. Upon restarting the explorer ran fine until another incident in mid october. I started the explorer and went about 500 feet to a stop sign and as I slowed down the explorer wanted to keep going. As I…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Ford explorer. The contact was driving 40 MPH when the accelerator pedal became stuck in the open throttle position, causing the vehicle to abnormally accelerate. The brakes would not stop the acceleration and the contact shifted into neutral to stop the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer yet the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The…
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.
Had cruise control trouble with your 2009 Ford Explorer?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2009 Ford Explorer?
It's a meaningful issue. 5 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Based on the 5 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 50,750 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Ford/Explorer.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.