Some 2020-2024 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility hybrid vehicles may exhibit a "Refuel Error See Manual" message in the instrument panel cluster (IPC) after installing a replacement fuel filler door assembly (7827936). This may be due to a concern with the replacement fuel filler door assembly. If diagnostics in the Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 501-14 Body > Handles, Locks, Latches and Entry Systems > lead to fuel filler door switch replacement, install a new fuel filler door assembly ordered from depot stock to correct this condition. Suspect parts have been cleared from parts depot inventory.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2021 Ford Explorer body problems
moderate Owners of the 2021 Ford Explorer have filed 21 NHTSA complaints about the body at roughly $1,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See body across all vehicles →
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
| Model year | body complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 Explorer | 618 |
| 2018 Explorer | 269 |
| 2019 Explorer | 141 |
| 2020 Explorer | 32 |
| 2021 Explorer (this page) | 21 |
| 2022 Explorer | 8 |
| 2023 Explorer | 8 |
| 2025 Explorer | 4 |
1injury
What stands out
No new NHTSA body complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body 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.
Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2020-2026 Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may require level III ballistic panels to be replaced due to broken mounting tabs. Individual level III ballistic panel mounting tab service parts are now available: right-hand (78201B68) and left-hand (78201B69). Replacement of the level III ballistic panel assembly is not required for this condition. Level IV ballistic panels do not have removable mounting tabs and still require complete panel replacement. Level III vs level IV ballistic panels can be identified by a large roman numeral label on the panel or by the vehicle window sticker if equipped.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2020-2023 Explorer vehicles may exhibit various issues with the roof rack side. If there is an issue with the roof rack side that requires replacement, a lower level service part is now available separately (7855114 and 7855115). It is no longer necessary to replace the entire roof rack assembly.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This article supersedes TSB 23-2181 to add 2024 vehicle model year. Some 2020-2024 Explorer/Aviator vehicles may exhibit a lack of audio and/or a water leak in the rear liftgate area and/or water in the spare tire area. The customer may indicate that this concern is more noticeable after a car wash or rainfall. To correct the condition, follow the Service Procedure to identify the leak path.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2021 Explorer has a serious rear-subframe defect where ST models were fitted during production with single-bolt base-model attachments instead of the four-bolt design needed for the higher-horsepower engine. Owners report the bolt shearing, dropping the differential, and damaging suspension and exhaust—a catastrophic failure at highway speed. Ford acknowledged this with a Special Service Message and issued Recall 23S55, but dealerships have performed repairs improperly, leaving some owners with dangerous free play in the subframe and stuck with $3,500 bills.
Body trim throughout the vehicle comes loose and detaches at highway speeds: rear-door cladding, B-pillar and A-pillar trim, L-molding, and roof trim. One owner's door trim blow-off at 75 mph sliced the tire and damaged the rim; Ford offered no help. Adhesive repairs have failed. Recall campaigns (24V031000, 25V347000) exist but exclude some VINs with identical failures.
Hood latches fail unexpectedly, causing the hood to fly open and strike the windshield, completely blocking visibility—a serious safety hazard. Sunroof drains clog, backing water into the trunk and headliner where mold grows; one owner's vehicle sat in the shop 3+ months waiting for a headliner, with parts backorder quantities jumping from 16 to 437 units. Additional complaints include power liftgate failure, roof leaks, windshield trim coming loose, cracked window panels, spontaneous windshield cracks, and loose roof racks flapping at speed.
Same Ford Explorer body reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Rear subframe differential attachment bolt failure
2021 Explorer ST models incorrectly fitted with single-bolt rear subframe attachment (base-model component) instead of proper four-bolt design for high-performance engine. Single bolt shears under load, dropping differential and damaging rear suspension and exhaust.
When: 2021 model year manufacturing; reported at various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: single bolt shearing off; differential drops; rear suspension damage; exhaust damage; clicking noise when shifting into gear; rear subframe free play and movement
Codes mentioned: Recall 23S55
Repairs/costs cited: Requires rear subframe replacement; one owner cited $3,500 repair bill when recall work was improper; some owners report parts backorder delays
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford released Special Service Message acknowledging the issue. Recall 23S55 issued; however, some dealerships performed work improperly.
Exterior body trim detachment at highway speeds
Body cladding, trim strips, and molding pieces detach from vehicle during highway driving, creating road hazards and damaging wheels/tires. Incidents reported on rear doors, B-pillar, L-trim molding, and roof trim.
When: 33,000–65,000 miles; reported at highway speeds (60–75 MPH)
Symptoms owners cite: trim strips and molding blow off vehicle; cladding comes loose from doors; wind noise from loose trim; trim lodges in wheel wells and damages tires; roof trim detaches
Codes mentioned: Campaign 24V031000 (Structure), Campaign 25V347000 (Structure)
Repairs/costs cited: Requires trim and molding replacement; adhesive-only repairs have failed; some owners out-of-pocket for tire and rim damage (one owner paid for mismatched wheel and tire)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaigns issued; however, some VINs not included in campaigns despite identical failures. Dealership attempts with adhesive have proven ineffective.
Hood latch malfunction—hood opens unexpectedly in motion
Hood flies open during normal driving despite not being unlatched, striking windshield and obstructing driver visibility. Hood latch or secondary safety latch fails without warning.
When: During normal highway/local driving; no prior symptoms
Symptoms owners cite: hood opens unexpectedly; hood strikes windshield; complete loss of driver visibility; windshield damage or caving inward; no warning indicators before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership inspection confirmed latch mechanism malfunction; no indication of repair completion in narratives
Sunroof drain clogs leading to trunk and interior water intrusion and mold
Sunroof drain lines become clogged, causing water to back up into trunk and interior headliner. Mold growth detected in headliner. Dealership reports this is not uncommon but owners were not advised of need for periodic inspection or cleaning despite regular maintenance visits.
When: 3-year-old vehicle; failure discovered during warranty period but after standard coverage expiration
Symptoms owners cite: water pouring into trunk from roof; sunroof drains clogged; mold growth in headliner; water intrusion into cabin
Repairs/costs cited: Requires headliner replacement; one owner reports vehicle in dealership service for 3+ months awaiting headliner parts; another month shows parts backorder jumped from 16 units to 437 units
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership acknowledges problem is not uncommon; does not acknowledge design or quality control issue; suggests customer responsibility for periodic cleaning
Power liftgate failure to close
Power liftgate does not close automatically and requires manual closure. Failure occurs without warning indicators.
When: Approximately 58,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: power liftgate fails to close; no warning lights illuminated
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership did not diagnose or repair; manufacturer referred owner to NHTSA
Roof and sunroof area water leaks
Roof leaks near sunroof and roof rail attachment points. Water intrusion into vehicle interior.
When: Approximately 58,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: roof leaking near sunroof area; roof leaking near roof rails
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer did not provide resolution; referred owner to NHTSA
Body-to-frame gap on passenger side
Visible gap exists between body panel and frame on passenger side, indicating potential misalignment or assembly defect.
When: Approximately 74,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: visible gap between body and frame on passenger side
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer filed case; referred owner to NHTSA
A-pillar and B-pillar trim detachment
Trim panels on A-pillar and B-pillar (window frame areas) detach from vehicle while driving or while parked. Adhesive repairs have failed.
When: 52,000–65,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: A-pillar trim detaches while driving at 60 MPH; B-pillar trim detaches from rear doors; trim pieces require replacement
Codes mentioned: Campaign 24V031000 (Structure)
Repairs/costs cited: Requires full trim replacement; adhesive repair attempted but failed; vehicles not repaired by dealerships
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall campaign 24V031000 issued; however, some VINs not included in campaign
Windshield trim loose or detaching
Exterior windshield trim becomes loose or detaches, creating wind noise and potential road hazard.
When: During operation
Symptoms owners cite: windshield trim loose; trim comes off while driving; wind noise inside vehicle from loose trim
Repairs/costs cited: TSB available (link to tsbsearch.com referenced)
Window panel cracking
Panels adjacent to windows on both sides of vehicle crack. Dealer attributes to seal failure with thermal stress from temperature cycling.
When: During normal ownership
Symptoms owners cite: cracking on side panels near windows; appears related to thermal cycling in varied climates
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer indicates replacement needed at owner expense
Windshield spontaneous cracking
Front windshield develops crack that expands along bottom edge without apparent impact or cause.
When: During normal operation; crack started spontaneously
Symptoms owners cite: small looping crack at bottom of windshield; crack expanded into clear glass area; no reported impact or foreign object strike
Roof luggage rack loose or flapping
Roof luggage racks are loose and flap or rattle at highway speeds. Ford states not covered under warranty.
When: During operation at highway speeds
Symptoms owners cite: roof rail luggage racks loose; flapping at high speeds; rattling noise
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ford advises item is not covered by warranty
Chrome window control peeling with sharp edges
Chrome plating on power window switch (passenger side) peels and creates sharp edges that cut user's hand.
When: During normal use
Symptoms owners cite: chrome peeling on window switch; sharp edges on switch; cutting hand when using switch
Cabin resonance and low-frequency noise from suspension
Vehicle produces deep bass/resonating frequency sound throughout cabin when driving over uneven road surfaces at low speed.
When: During low-speed driving over bumpy surfaces
Symptoms owners cite: low resonating frequency (deep bass) sound in cabin; triggered by uneven road surfaces
Roof headliner loose when sunroof retracted
Roof window cover/headliner becomes loose and impedes rear visibility when sunroof is in retracted position.
When: When sunroof in retracted position
Symptoms owners cite: headliner loose; impeding rear vision when sunroof retracted
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
On October 25, 2021; my wife and I were driving across country when we experienced a blow-out at 75 MPH in New Mexico (about 80 miles west of Amarillo. The blow-out was caused by body cladding, which came off the right rear door of our 2021 Ford Explorer - apparently attributable to 19+ MPH desert cross winds at highway speeds of 75 MPH. The trim lodged in the right rear wheel well; slicing the…
Had body trouble with your 2021 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 body problem on the 2021 Ford Explorer?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Based on the 21 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 56,400 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 $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/2021/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.