Some 2011-2022 Explorer and 2020-2022 Aviator vehicles may experience an inoperative roof opening panel motor. If diagnostics lead to a motor replacement, visually inspect the original motor for signs of water intrusion. If found, determine source of water leak prior to replacing the motor. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 501-17, Pinpoint Test A for 2011-2016 and Pinpoint Test B for 2017-2022 for identifying the source of the water leak.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Ford Explorer visibility problems
moderate Owners of the 2018 Ford Explorer have filed 18 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Explorer | 32 |
| 2015 Explorer | 27 |
| 2016 Explorer | 47 |
| 2017 Explorer | 56 |
| 2018 Explorer (this page) | 18 |
| 2019 Explorer | 5 |
| 2020 Explorer | 43 |
| 2021 Explorer | 26 |
| 2022 Explorer | 18 |
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. Hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or discoloration on the outer surface which cannot be removed by further cleaning. If this type of distortion is found, inspect the area of the glass that is covered by the cowl and/or molding. The portion of glass that is covered by the cowl or molding will not be affected by the acid. Hydrofluoric acid damage is not a defect in material or workmanship and is not a warrantable condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2018 Explorer has a pattern of visibility and glass failures that owners describe as serious safety defects. The most prominent complaint involves the integrated blind spot mirrors, which are mounted at the wrong angle and fail to show low-profile vehicles or vehicle headlights at night—one owner nearly sideswiped a car on the highway relying on these mirrors. Multiple owners report spontaneous glass failure: rear windshields have exploded with a loud bang while children were in nearby car seats, rear side windows shattered when doors were closed, and rear hatch glass broke at 30 mph with no impact.
Windshield-related problems extend beyond glass to seals and trim. The sealant around the windshield deteriorates, allowing wind noise and air infiltration; trim and weather stripping separate and come loose, sometimes during highway driving. One owner's dashboard cover lifted and created windshield glare impairing visibility. The wiper system has also failed completely on multiple vehicles—front wipers, rear wipers, and washer fluid all stopped working, with some owners reporting scratching damage to the windshield.
Dealers consistently tell owners these defects cannot be repaired under warranty, with estimates for full dashboard replacement reaching thousands of dollars. Ford has not issued recalls for most of these visibility-related failures, and owners report the manufacturer offers no assistance despite multiple defects being reported.
Same Ford Explorer visibility reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2020 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Blind spot mirror angle defect
The integrated blind spot mirrors on both driver and passenger sides are mounted at an incorrect angle, rendering them ineffective at showing the actual blind spot. Low-profile vehicles are invisible in the mirrors; only the roofs of taller vehicles and SUVs are visible. At night, headlights cannot be seen, leaving a dangerous gap in visibility.
When: Present from purchase on 2018 models
Symptoms owners cite: Cannot see low-profile cars in blind spot; Cannot see vehicle headlights at night in blind spot mirror; Only top of tall vehicles (SUVs/trucks/vans) visible; Near side-swipe incident occurred
Repairs/costs cited: Ford service technician confirmed the 2018 Explorer's blind spot mirror view differs from 2016 Fusion and other older models, but stated it cannot be fixed because all 2018 Explorers have the same defective view
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No remedy offered; stated defect cannot be corrected because it is common to the model year
Rear windshield spontaneous failure
Center of the rear windshield exploded and shattered without any impact or known cause. Large pieces of glass were ejected toward the second-row rear seat where an 8-month-old in a car seat was located. No injury occurred, but the incident posed serious risk to the child.
When: Unknown mileage; shortly after vehicle delivery
Symptoms owners cite: Loud banging sound; Center of rear windshield exploded; Glass projected toward second-row rear seat area
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but provided no assistance; dealer also offered no assistance
Sunroof crack allowing water intrusion
Crack developed in the sunroof frame with no reported impact. Water entered the vehicle during heavy rain, pooling in the cup holder. The failure recurred multiple times.
When: 99,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Water in cup holder after heavy rain; Crack visible in sunroof; Recurring water intrusion
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed cracked sunroof frame but did not repair; vehicle remained at dealership
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but no resolution provided
Windshield sealant deterioration
Sealant around the front windshield disintegrated, causing wind noise and allowing air infiltration while driving. The windshield showed signs of degradation.
When: Approximately 105,000 miles; gradual progression
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal chirping noise; Wind entering vehicle; Windshield disintegrating
Repairs/costs cited: Cowl screen panel and windshield sealant required replacement; repair not completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated repair was not covered under warranty
Roof rack detachment after structural recall work
Following repair under NHTSA Campaign 24V031000 (Structure), the roof racks began to detach from the vehicle. The detachment nearly caused fracture of the sunroof.
When: 77,000 miles; after recall repair
Symptoms owners cite: Roof racks detaching from vehicle; Near fracture of sunroof; Side view mirrors seized without warning
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to dealer but not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified of this follow-up failure
Dashboard cover lifting and causing glare
The dashboard cover lifted and rolled up, revealing white material underneath that creates glare on the windshield in the driver's field of vision, impairing visibility while driving.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard cover lifted/rolled up; White material visible underneath; Glare on windshield affecting visibility
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated only remedy is complete dashboard replacement at cost of thousands of dollars
Intermittent wiper malfunction and windshield scratching
Windshield wipers did not turn off and would operate intermittently, scratching the windshield and creating a distraction during dry conditions. The issue occurred after an A-pillar separated from the vehicle.
When: Timing correlates to A-pillar detachment event
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent wipers would not turn off; Wipers scratching windshield; Unnecessary distraction while driving
Repairs/costs cited: $629.38 charged by dealership to repair wiper switch
Complete wiper system failure
Front windshield wipers, rear wiper, and windshield washer fluid spray all stopped working. The failure began as intermittent glitching approximately a year prior and progressed to complete non-function.
When: Glitching began approximately 1 year before full failure
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield wipers do not work; Rear wiper does not work; Wiper fluid does not spray; Initial intermittent glitching; No warning lights or alerts
Repairs/costs cited: Wiper fluid tank contains fluid; no electrical alerts present
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner noted awareness of a Ford recall for this issue but believes it should include more model years
Weather stripping and door seal deterioration
Weather stripping around the windshield and rubber seals around the driver-side and passenger-side rear doors deteriorated, compromising the seal integrity.
When: 27,632 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Weather stripping deterioration; Rubber seal deterioration on both rear doors; Affects driver and passenger sides
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield molding and door rubber stripping required replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware and opened a case
Windshield trim separation
The windshield trim panel separated from the vehicle during highway driving at high speed. The trim came loose and required temporary stabilization with duct tape to prevent loss.
When: Unknown mileage; occurred while driving on interstate highway
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield trim coming off while driving; Trim loosened at high speed on interstate
Repairs/costs cited: Owner secured with duct tape; repair not yet completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner noted investigation into this issue is occurring
Windshield material defect—excessive brittleness
The front windshield (sound screen type) is constructed of soft, weak material that chips or cracks from even minor road debris strikes. Any debris impact—regardless of force—causes chipping, cracks, and visible material scrapes, creating a safety hazard.
When: Unknown mileage; vulnerability present on vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield chips and cracks from minimal debris strikes; Visible scrapes from slight impact; Material appears soft and weak
Rear side window spontaneous shattering
Rear side window shattered spontaneously when passenger door was closed. Vehicle had under 6,000 miles and was parked in driveway at time of failure. Glass fragmented into interior and exterior, with small chunks missing from window edges.
When: Less than 6,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Window shattered when door closed; Glass inside and outside vehicle; Continued glass pieces falling; Small chunks missing from window edges
Windshield trim panel detachment
The windshield trim panel became partially detached on the passenger side lower corner, extending upward for 9 inches. The detachment was first noticed in late 2022 and has progressively extended up the windshield with no impact event.
When: First noticed late 2022; progressive since then
Symptoms owners cite: Partial detachment on passenger side lower corner; Detachment extends 9 inches up windshield; Progressive extension over time
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Local dealership was unconcerned
Rear hatch glass spontaneous shattering
The rear hatch glass shattered without any impact while vehicle was driven at 30 mph. The failure occurred without collision or impact event.
When: Approximately 50,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Rear hatch glass shattered without impact; Failure at 30 mph normal driving
Repairs/costs cited: Repaired by Safelite Auto Glass
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer informed; stated repair not covered under warranty
Front windshield trim and seal separation
Trim and seals on the front windshield separated on both the driver and passenger sides. Substantial portions of the driver-side seal came off, and the passenger side is cracked and missing in multiple areas.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Trim/seals came off on driver side; Passenger side trim cracked and missing; Separation occurred on both sides
A-pillar trim detachment
The exterior A-pillar trim parts detached from both the right and left sides of the vehicle while driving. One detached A-pillar struck another vehicle during detachment.
When: Unknown mileage; occurred while driving
Symptoms owners cite: Right side A-pillar trim detached while driving; Left side A-pillar trim detached while driving; Detached part struck another vehicle
Windshield seal deterioration—noise and leakage
Seals around the windshield deteriorated, causing wind noise above 35 mph and allowing water to enter the vehicle.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield noise above 35 mph; Seals rotting
Synthesized from 18 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had visibility trouble with your 2018 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 visibility problem on the 2018 Ford Explorer?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 18 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 18 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 54,233 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 $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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/2018/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.