SUV · model years 2020-2024 · NHTSA recalls, complaints & NCAP ratings
Across model years 2020-2024, the Ford Explorer has
46 NHTSA recall campaigns on
record (one of the most-recalled vehicles in this snapshot) — most often the back over prevention system,
plus 1,874 owner complaints and a NCAP overall rating of about 5/5 stars.
This is the model's recall history, not your car's status — the only way to know if a recall
is still open on your vehicle is to
check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Verify with your VIN. Recalls are issued continuously and tie to your exact vehicle.
Confirm open recalls for your Ford Explorer at
nhtsa.gov/recalls — or use our
VIN check helper. Data as of June 2026.
The most recent recall campaigns on record for 2020-2024. The remedy (repair) is free at a franchised Ford dealer; quote the campaign number.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · NHTSA #26V371000 · filed 2026-06-09 · model year 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.
Consequence: A park system that is damaged may not shift into "PARK," resulting in a vehicle rollaway and increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for park system damage and repair the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 15, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S39. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 12, 2026.
SEAT BELTS · NHTSA #26V159000 · filed 2026-03-17 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Consequence: A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR · NHTSA #26V117000 · filed 2026-03-03 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.
Consequence: Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in May 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE · NHTSA #26V123000 · filed 2026-03-03 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 6, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated second quarter of 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C11. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER · NHTSA #26V012000 · filed 2026-01-15 · model year 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in April 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER · NHTSA #25V685000 · filed 2025-10-10 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
TRAILER HITCHES · NHTSA #25V687000 · filed 2025-10-10 · model year 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
Consequence: While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP · NHTSA #25V455000 · filed 2025-07-07 · model years 2021, 2022, 2023
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
Consequence: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The remedy is under development. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 16, 2025. Second letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated 2nd Quarter 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE · NHTSA #25V442000 · filed 2025-06-27 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Consequence: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY · NHTSA #25V393000 · filed 2025-06-13 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.
Consequence: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE · NHTSA #25V159000 · filed 2025-03-14 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
Consequence: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S27.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT · NHTSA #25V166000 · filed 2025-03-14 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
Consequence: A disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park without the parking brake applied. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S22.
Showing the 12 most recent of 46 campaigns. See all for your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Newer model years often have fewer simply because fewer are on the road and less time has passed.
NCAP stars are federal crash-test results. A blank means that test was not separately published; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not crash-test that configuration.
How the Ford Explorer compares
Similar suvs by recall-campaign count:
Ford Explorer and peer vehicles. Source: NHTSA, model years 2020-2024.
Vehicle
Recall campaigns
Complaints
Ford Explorer (this vehicle)
46
1,874
Ford Escape
36
2,142
Jeep Grand Cherokee
36
1,556
Ford Bronco
35
829
Jeep Wrangler
30
2,135
Chevrolet Tahoe
23
884
Frequently asked questions
Does the Ford Explorer have any recalls?
Across model years 2020-2024, the Ford Explorer has 46 NHTSA recall campaigns on record, most often involving the back over prevention system. This is a recall history, not your car's status. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if any recall is still open on your specific Ford Explorer.
How do I check if my Ford Explorer is under recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN at the free NHTSA recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls). It shows any unrepaired safety recall on that exact Ford Explorer. The repair, called the remedy, is free at a franchised Ford dealer.
How many complaints does the Ford Explorer have?
NHTSA has 1,874 owner complaints on file for the Ford Explorer across 2020-2024, of which 71 mention a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, useful as a signal of possible issues, not confirmed defects.
What is the Ford Explorer crash-test rating?
The Ford Explorer has a NHTSA NCAP overall safety rating of about 5 out of 5 stars across the tested model years in 2020-2024. See the year-by-year frontal, side and rollover stars on this page.
Recalls, complaints and crash-test ratings: NHTSA
(model years 2020-2024), US public domain, captured June 2026. This is a dated snapshot of a
model's history and can lag NHTSA. It is not your vehicle's recall status and is not safety advice —
always verify open recalls with your VIN at
nhtsa.gov/recalls. See the
methodology and disclaimer.