Representative model. Photo: Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2025 Ford Explorer recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2025 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 22
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 106
Latest campaign: Jul 21, 2026

Recall summary by component22

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Back over prevention	4	Jun 30, 2026	26V415000 26V165000 25V691000 24V801000
Seats	3	Jul 21, 2026	26V470000 26V451000 25V393000
Engine and engine cooling	3	May 27, 2026	26V343000 26V122000 25V344000
Power train	3	Apr 11, 2025	25V239000 25V164000 25V020000
Exterior lighting	2	Mar 3, 2026	26V121000 25V543000
Seat belts	1	Mar 17, 2026	26V159000
Visibility	1	Oct 24, 2025	25V730000
Trailer hitches	1	Oct 10, 2025	25V687000
Service brakes, hydraulic	1	Jun 3, 2025	25V371000
Structure	1	May 9, 2025	25V316000
Equipment	1	Nov 8, 2024	24V852000
Fuel system, gasoline	1	Aug 23, 2024	24V634000

Safety recalls22

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

1Fixable over the air

Jul 21, 2026Latest campaign


Jul 21, 202626V470000	Seats: front assembly power adjust Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V470000 What's wrong Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start. Risk Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury. Remedy Dealers will disable the driver seat module (DSM) feature until parts are available. Once available, the motor will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53. Filed under Explorer Campaign NHTSA 26V470000 · Jul 21, 2026
Jul 14, 202626V451000	Seats: mid/rear assembly A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V451000 What's wrong Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly. Risk A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026. Filed under Explorer Campaign NHTSA 26V451000 · Jul 14, 2026
Jun 30, 202626V415000	Back over prevention: warnings external/pedestrian alert A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V415000 What's wrong Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2027 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and 2025-2027 Explorer Hybrid vehicles. A software error may prevent the vehicle from making the pedestrian warning sound at certain speeds. Risk A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Remedy Note: This is an expansion of Recall 25V691. Any vehicles previously repaired under 25V691 must have the new remedy completed. Ford will release an over-the-air (OTA) update or dealers will update the APIM software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will replace the digital signal processing module in Nautilus Hybrid vehicles equipped with 28 speakers, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S51. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 7, 2026. Filed under Explorer Hybrid Campaign NHTSA 26V415000 · Jun 30, 2026
May 27, 202626V343000	Engine and engine cooling: engine hard parts internal/mechanical A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V343000 What's wrong Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power. Risk A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. Remedy Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026. Filed under Explorer Campaign NHTSA 26V343000 · May 27, 2026
Mar 19, 202626V165000	Back over prevention: software Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driver’s ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V165000 What's wrong Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Risk Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driver’s ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy The Image Processing Module A software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 Aviator, 2025 Explorer, 2025 Nautilus notified owners on 4/13/2026. Phase 2 will include 2025 Navigator will notify owners on or about 4/20/2026. Phase 3 will include 2022-2024 Navigator will notify owners on or about 6/8/2026. Phase 4 will include 2024 Nautilus will notify owners on or about 6/22/2026. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S21. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 25, 2026. Filed under Explorer Campaign NHTSA 26V165000 · Mar 19, 2026
Mar 17, 202626V159000	Seat belts A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. DetailsHide details for campaign 26V159000 What's wrong 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. Risk 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. Filed under Explorer Campaign NHTSA 26V159000 · Mar 17, 2026

Merged from NHTSA model names: Explorer, Explorer Hybrid. Not every vehicle of a model year is affected by every campaign.

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Owner complaints by component106

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

106Complaints filed

8Involving a crash

1Involving a fire

6Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Electrical system	23	22	1	0	0
Service brakes	19	18	5	0	4
Unknown or other	18	17	1	1	1
Power train	15	14	1	0	1
Forward collision avoidance	14	13	1	0	1
Visibility/wiper	10	9	0	0	0
Steering	9	8	1	0	1
Engine	8	8	0	0	0
Vehicle speed control	7	7	2	0	1
Structure	7	7	0	0	0
Air bags	5	5	2	0	2
Exterior lighting	4	4	0	0	0
Seats	3	3	0	0	0
Lane departure	3	3	1	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	3	3	0	0	0

9 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number, merged from NHTSA model names Explorer, Explorer Hev.

Latest reports

Service brakes
“I was driving at approximately 5mph when my car suddenly slammed on breaks. The pre collision warning popped up. There was no obstical in site. Happened approximately 30 mins ago.”
Filed 10/15/2026 · ODI 11771498
Exterior lighting
“Faulty led chip in headlight, DRL , high beam & low beams affected EXACTLY like the recalled 2026 models.. ford recommended replacement @ 2,400$ Ford should be forced to extend the recall to all affected models.”
Filed 10/12/2026 · ODI 11770507
Engine
“At approximately 17,000 miles the Explorer started misfiring, would not shift out of gear and check engine light would flash. Dealer replaced #1 spark plug.”
Filed 10/06/2026 · ODI 11769200

Other Ford Explorer model years

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Other Ford models

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2025 Ford Explorer recall questions

How many recalls does the 2025 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA lists 22 safety recall campaigns for the 2025 Ford Explorer. The most recent, 26V470000 (reported July 21, 2026), concerns seats. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2025 Ford Explorer recalls for?

The largest group is back over prevention, with 4 campaigns. Others: seats (3), engine and engine cooling (3), power train (3). Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2025 Ford Explorer?

Electrical system is the most-reported component, named in 23 complaints out of 106 filed with NHTSA (22%). Across all complaints, owners reported 8 crashs and 1 fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2025 Ford Explorer?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or the Ford recall lookup. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised Ford dealer.

Check a specific Ford by VIN

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Recall summary by component22

Safety recalls22

Seats: front assembly power adjust

Seats: mid/rear assembly

Back over prevention: warnings external/pedestrian alert

Engine and engine cooling: engine hard parts internal/mechanical

Back over prevention: software

Seat belts