2021 Ford Explorer Police Intercept: common problems

Owners of the 2021 Ford Explorer Police Intercept filed 1 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine. The maker issued 49 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 1
Technical service bulletins (TSB): 49

What fails most often

Engine: 1 complaints (100% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine	1	3
Powertrain	0	20
Electrical system	0	16
Equipment	0	9
Engine and cooling	0	6
Exterior lighting	0	2
Structure	0	2
Fuel/propulsion system	0	1
Fuel system	0	1
Steering	0	1
Suspension	0	1
Other	0	7

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Catalytic converter and it was confirmed by independent service center my car only has 88k miles There is a catalytic converter recall on year 2020 but Ford refuses to do a recall for the year 2021 and I have another car that have the same catalytic converter problem with only 84k miles and itâs also 2021 and Ford…
Engine · 2026-07-31 · NHTSA complaint #11754102

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 24,719 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 33% least complained about).

On average one model year of the Explorer Police Intercept has 5 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 1, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Manufacturer service bulletins

Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.

received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11030815 · Other Some 2020-2023 Aviator and 2020-2024 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility hybrid vehicles may exhibit a…
Some 2020-2023 Aviator and 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…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11030107 · Other Some 2020-2026 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility/Aviator vehicles may exhibit a concern of inoperative,…
Some 2020-2026 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility/Aviator vehicles may exhibit a concern of inoperative, rattling, crackling and/or distorted sound from one or more speakers (but not all speakers). This may be due to…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11027821 · Structure 2020-2026 Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may require level III ballistic panels to be replaced due to…
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…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11025487 · Other On 2020-2026 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require…
On 2020-2026 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require access to the driver's door ajar circuit. The vehicle may exhibit a door ajar light on when the driver's door…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11021197 · Engine Certain 2020-2022 Model Year Explorer Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) Vehicles Engine Block Breaches This…
Certain 2020-2022 Model Year Explorer Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) Vehicles Engine Block Breaches This program provides a no-cost, one-time repair (if needed) to the engine long-block for 10 years of service or…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11020053 · Fuel/propulsion system Some 2020-2023 Explorer/Aviator, 2020-2025 Police Interceptor Utility, 2020-2022 Escape/Corsair, and…
Some 2020-2023 Explorer/Aviator, 2020-2025 Police Interceptor Utility, 2020-2022 Escape/Corsair, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles equipped with a hybrid powertrain may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp…
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11012779 · Other On 2020-2025 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require…
On 2020-2025 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require access to the driver's door ajar circuit.
received by NHTSA in 2025–2026 · № 11012236 · Other Certain 2020-2022 Model Year Explorer Police Interceptor Utility (PIU) Vehicles Engine Block Breaches
received by NHTSA in 2020–2024 · № 11008211 · Exterior lighting Some 2020-2025 Police Interceptor Utility hybrid vehicles may exhibit multiple warning messages, various…
Some 2020-2025 Police Interceptor Utility hybrid vehicles may exhibit multiple warning messages, various driveability concerns and/or an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC)…
received by NHTSA in 2020–2024 · № 11007973 · Other Some 2020-2024 Explorer/Aviator/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may exhibit erratic shifting and/or a…
Some 2020-2024 Explorer/Aviator/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles may exhibit erratic shifting and/or a transmission fluid venting condition.
received by NHTSA in 2020–2024 · № 11003139 · Electrical system On 2020-2024 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require…
On 2020-2024 Explorer/Police Interceptor Utility vehicles, customers may desire modifications that require access to the driver's door ajar circuit. In some cases customers may experience an ajar light on when the…
received by NHTSA in 2020–2024 · № 11002846 · Powertrain Certain 2020 through 2023 Model Year Explorer Police Interceptor Units (PIU) Powertrain Control Module…
Certain 2020 through 2023 Model Year Explorer Police Interceptor Units (PIU) Powertrain Control Module Software Update In some of the affected vehicles, customers may experience various symptoms including lack of…

NHTSA lists 49 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Ford Explorer Police Intercept?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine. Total complaints: 1.

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Ford Explorer Police Intercept?

NHTSA lists 49 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2021 Ford Explorer Police Intercept from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2021 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.