Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (0)
No US recalls found for the 2009 Ford Explorer.
Owner complaints (33)
Owners filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Ford Explorer (5 crashes, 5 injuries reported). Among 44 model years of this model, it ranks #35 for the most complaints (median 630).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | |
| Unknown or other | 5 | |
| Engine | 4 | |
| Seats | 3 | |
| Power train | 3 | |
| Wheels | 3 | |
| Tires | 2 | |
| Visibility | 2 |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Ford Explorer.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Ford Explorer 4-DR. w/SAB | – | – | – | 3★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2009 Ford Explorer version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer 2WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 20 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer 2WD 4.6 L Automatic 6-spd | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Explorer 4WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 13 | 19 | 15 | $4,450 |
| Explorer 4WD 4.6 L Automatic 6-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 2WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 14 | 20 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 2WD 4.6 L Automatic 6-spd | 15 | 21 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 4WD 4.0 L Automatic 5-spd | 13 | 19 | 15 | $4,450 |
| Explorer Sport Trac 4WD 4.6 L Automatic 6-spd | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,200 |
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada). Recalls updated 2026-10-30.