Ford builds everything from family crossovers to full-size pickups, and owner complaint databases show that volume cuts both ways. Some of the most popular nameplates collect the longest lists of reported problems, along with repair bills that vary widely by model and year. Here are eleven Fords that stand out in owner-submitted data from CarComplaints.
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1. Ford Explorer: Complaint Count Leader
Owners filed 13,452 complaints on the Explorer, the most of any Ford, according to the CarComplaints Ford listing. The site names the 2002 and 2004 models among the worst, and a hard jolt when shifting in the 2006 version averaged $1,800 to fix.
Shoppers weighing a used Explorer from those years can treat transmission behavior as the first thing to test on a drive. A long complaint history also means plenty of owner reports exist to compare against any specific vehicle.
2. Ford F-150: Costly Oil And Rattle
The F-150 has 6,067 entries on file at CarComplaints’ F-150 page, and the worst year, 2018, includes excessive oil consumption paired with a rattling noise. That problem averaged $10,300 to fix, reported at about 28,000 miles.
A bill of that size arriving at such low mileage is the detail that matters for buyers of a late-model truck. Confirming how an engine handles oil use is a sensible step before purchase, along with what coverage remains.
3. Ford Focus: Hesitation From A Stop
The Focus has 5,279 complaints, and the CarComplaints Ford index names the 2012 and 2014 models among the worst. For the 2014, bad hesitation and jerking when starting from a stop is listed as a top problem.
Drivability complaints like that show up in everyday commuting rather than at highway speed, so a test drive with repeated stop-and-go starts is the practical check. Buyers considering either year can compare any car against those documented symptoms.
4. Ford Escape: Stopped Working Bills
Owners logged 4,924 complaints on the Escape, and CarComplaints rates 2014 as the worst year with 349 of them. A “stopped working” problem in the 2014 model leads that list at an average repair cost of $4,200.
The wording of the top complaint is vague, which makes a pre-purchase inspection and service records more valuable than usual. A four-figure average shows why an Escape from that year deserves scrutiny before any money changes hands.
5. Ford Taurus: Transmission Tops List
The Taurus draws 2,656 complaints in the CarComplaints brand rankings, and the top-ranked problem is transmission failure in the 2003 model. That repair averaged $1,900.
For a sedan that is often an inexpensive used purchase, a repair near two thousand dollars can loom large against the price. Owners of that generation may want to know the failure history before relying on one for long commutes. Complaint data of this kind is self-reported, so it is best read as a pointer to what to check.
6. Ford Edge: Coolant In Cylinder
The Edge has 2,399 complaints on file, and its worst year, 2017, is led by coolant leaking into a cylinder. The CarComplaints Edge page puts the average repair at $5,900.
Coolant entering a combustion chamber is a serious engine fault, so any 2017 Edge deserves a careful look at service history and cooling system records. The cost shown suggests the problem is not a minor fix. Owner complaint data is self-reported, so it works best as a prompt for questions during a purchase.
7. Ford Fusion: Steering Gives Out
The Fusion has 2,347 complaints, and CarComplaints rates 2011 as the worst model year, with 270 of them. Power steering failure leads that year’s list and averaged $1,500 to repair.
Losing power assist changes how a car feels at parking speeds and can be unsettling on the road, which makes it more than a convenience issue. At $1,500, the repair is among the smaller bills in this group, but still not trivial.
8. Ford Fiesta: Small Car, Big Bill
The Fiesta has 719 complaints on file, and in its worst year, 2011, with 183 of them, a failed transmission averaged $3,400 to fix at about 67,000 miles, per the CarComplaints Fiesta page.
A modest complaint total does not guarantee a cheap ownership experience, since a single failure can erase the savings of a small car. Buyers of a used 2011 can use the mileage figure as a reference point for when trouble was reported.
9. Ford Expedition: Big SUV Transmission
The Expedition has 1,665 complaints on file, with CarComplaints’ Expedition ranking calling the 2004 model year worst for transmission failure. That repair averages $2,700 at about 76,000 miles.
Full-size SUVs are often bought for towing and family hauling, work that leans hard on a transmission. A buyer eyeing an older Expedition can use the mileage figure to judge whether a vehicle has passed the point where the failure was reported.
10. Ford Ranger: Sensors Fail Repeatedly
The Ranger has 856 complaints on file, and CarComplaints rates 2019 as its worst model year because sensors fail repeatedly. The average fix runs $6,000 at only 26,000 miles.
Few vehicles of that age should need a repair of that size, so it is a notable flag for anyone shopping a nearly new pickup. Sensor problems can also be hard to diagnose, which makes service records worth requesting. Complaint counts come from owners who chose to report, so they signal patterns rather than guarantees.
11. Ford Mustang: Hood Corrosion
The Mustang has 1,551 complaints on file, and the CarComplaints Mustang page rates the 2010 model year worst for hood corrosion. The repair averages $1,700 at about 47,000 miles.
Unlike many entries here, this is a body problem rather than a drivetrain one, so it can be spotted by inspecting the paint and metal before buying. Corrosion on a hood is also a visible cosmetic concern. As with all complaint data, the figures reflect owner reports rather than a controlled study.
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