2009 Ford Explorer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
49 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Ford Explorer, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 2/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2009 Ford Explorer has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2009 sits among all Explorer years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 33 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 102,520 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
MARATHON IS RECALLING CERTAIN SEAT COVERS, BRAND SUPERHIDES WITH PART NUMBERS 593, 594, 578, 960, 228, 228-09, 267-08, 333, 625, AND 630, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SEAT COVERS ARE MADE OF HEAVIER THREAD AND…
Fix: MARATHON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE SEAT COVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MARATHON AT 1-800-735-2769.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2009 Ford Explorer drew 49 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 2/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2009 Ford Explorer problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Ford Explorer are other (9 complaints), wheels & tires (5), and speed control (5).
At what mileage do 2009 Ford Explorer problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Ford Explorer problems around 78,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 102,520 miles.
Does the 2009 Ford Explorer have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2009 Ford Explorer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.