Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
Safety risk
A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. These vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
Safety risk
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S43.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Safety risk
A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, and inspect both rear toe link ball joints, replacing the rear wheel knuckle(s), if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S17.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
Safety risk
If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S11.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Ford Explorer vehicles manufactured May 17, 2010, through February 28, 2012. The affected vehicles may experience an intermittent connection in the electric power steering gear, which can cause a loss of the motor position sensor signal resulting in a shut down of the power steering assist.
Safety risk
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist it will require extra steering effort at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will update the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) software, free of charge. If a vehicle shows a history of a loss of motor position sensor signal when the vehicle is brought in for the recall remedy, its steering rack assembly will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on July 23, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S06.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Steering
383
97,000 mi
Structure
124
130,000 mi
Unknown or other
115
55,000 mi
Engine
81
53,000 mi
Electrical system
67
38,000 mi
Structure: body
65
60,000 mi
Power train
57
46,778 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
28
55,128 mi
Air bags
27
60,000 mi
Suspension
25
139,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
19
61,000 mi
Service brakes
19
51,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
17
36,666 mi
Seat belts
15
60,800 mi
Back over prevention
11
107,000 mi
Visibility/wiper
10
60,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline
8
40,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
7
61,467 mi
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
5
—
Engine and engine cooling
5
45,000 mi
Visibility
5
27,000 mi
Visibility: windshield: critical fasteners
5
82,000 mi
Wheels
5
120,000 mi
Back over prevention: warnings
4
—
Exterior lighting: hazard flashing warning lights
4
87,000 mi
Steering: electric power assist system
4
107,000 mi
Traction control system
4
151,977 mi
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
3
80,700 mi
Exterior lighting
3
82,900 mi
Visibility: windshield
3
50,000 mi
Back over prevention: rearview system braking
2
—
Equipment
2
420 mi
Equipment adaptive/mobility
2
14,000 mi
Exterior lighting: turn signal
2
237,000 mi
Seats
2
40,000 mi
Steering: rack and pinion
2
20,000 mi
Visibility: glass, side/rear
2
78 mi
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: pump
1
133,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: turbo/supercharger
The 2011 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2013 model has about a third as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.