2025 Ford Explorer
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 101 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 24th highest complaint count among 26 Explorer model years with reports.
Of the 2025 reports, 8 involved a crash. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Seats, front assembly, power adjustJul 21, 2026
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.
Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 26V470000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, mid/rear assemblyJul 14, 2026
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.
A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 26V451000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalMay 27, 2026
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.
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 26V343000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, softwareMar 19, 2026
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 26V165000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat beltsMar 17, 2026
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.
A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 26V159000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, gas recirculation valve (egr valve)Mar 3, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
Campaign 26V122000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, headlightsMar 3, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
Campaign 26V121000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, windshieldOct 24, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Materials."
Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 27, 2025.
Campaign 25V730000 on NHTSA.gov
Trailer hitchesOct 10, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
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.
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.
Campaign 25V687000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, tail lightsAug 22, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles. For vehicles over 9,000 miles, dealers will perform a functional check on the body control module C and replace it as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Aviator 2025 owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2025. Explorer 2025 owner letters were mailed November 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C42.
Campaign 25V543000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, mid/rear assemblyJun 13, 2025
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.
A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 25V393000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalJun 13, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Transit, F-150, and Explorer vehicles. The connecting rod and rod bearing components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and engine failure.
A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the connecting rods and replace the engine long block assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S55.
Campaign 25V344000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperJun 3, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The bolts securing the front brake caliper may not be tightened properly, which can result in a loss of front brake function and possible wheel damage.
Loss of brake function and wheel damage can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts as necessary. If bolts are missing, the brake caliper and pads will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S60.
Campaign 25V371000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, frame and membersMay 9, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. A mounting bolt for the front subframe may have been tightened improperly.
A loose subframe bolt may reduce the vehicle's performance in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and tighten the subframe bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Owner notification letters were mailed May 21, 2025. Ford's number for this recall is 25S43.
Campaign 25V316000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, control module, softwareApr 11, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer vehicles. The powertrain control module (PCM) may reset while driving, which can damage the park system or cause an engine stall.
A damaged park system can result in a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park without the parking brake applied. An engine stall while driving can result in a sudden loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S35.
Campaign 25V239000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmission, fluid/lubricant, valves/valve bodyMar 14, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
Campaign 25V164000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionJan 17, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The transmission may be improperly secured due to loose cross member bolts.
An improperly secured transmission can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission cross member bolts as necessary, free of charge. If the cross member bolts are missing, dealers will replace the cross member and install new bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S03.
Campaign 25V020000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsNov 8, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Campaign 24V852000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, softwareOct 25, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The rearview camera image may fail when the vehicle speed reaches 10 MPH or greater. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The loss of the rearview camera image while in reverse can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated through an over-the-air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C34.
Campaign 24V801000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, fuel injection system, injectorsAug 23, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
Campaign 24V634000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
10 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Sep 18, 2026
A recent over-the-air (OTA) software update deployed by Ford Motor Company to my 2025 Ford Explorer ST introduced a primary safety hazard and severe system latency. PASSENGER MIRROR FAILURE: Approximately 10% of the time upon vehicle startup, the passenger-side power-folding exterior mirror fails to unfold. This leaves the driver with no right-side mirror visibility, creating an immediate blind-spot hazard and violating FMVSS 111 visibility standards. APIM / NAVIGATION LATENCY: The software update severely degraded processing in the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM). Navigation display systems lag behind the actual vehicle location by approximately 0.1 miles, causing delayed routing information and significant driver distraction. System resets (soft reboots and full master resets) fail to fix the issues. Upon contacting Ford In-Vehicle Technology support, representatives acknowledged the issue but refused to log or escalate the side-mirror failure as a safety defect.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 30, 2026
For the second time now, When changing out wiper blades, the wiper arm has sharp points which easily allow the arm to shatter the windshield. To change the wiper you have to push a button and pull quite hard which can easily cause the wiper arm to slip out of your grasp . This can cause the arm to shatter the windshield even at an inch away.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 6, 2026
Front side windows (driver and passenger side) have a quality issue that creates a distorted, wave-like view when looking out the window. This results difficulty viewing objects seen in the side mirrors. Also, when viewing anything out the side windows (ie. cross traffic) the view is distorted. Further, this makes the driver and passenger nauseated. The issue is constant and does not depend of environment, temperature, weather, or time of day. No warning lamps or messages appear. The dealer confirmed the issue, but stated nothing could be done because other Ford Explorers on-site also have the issue. The issue has also been confirmed on other Explorers in the market.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 14, 2026
Since new. Thousands of dots or specs are visible in the window upon sun up of sun down. This is not the snow flake safety campain that Ford has. Others have the same complaint on social media.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Dec 6, 2025
My vehicle originally showed more than 10 open safety recalls in the FordPass app and at the servicing dealer. I saved screenshots of each recall. After Ford performed a remote over-the-air software update, all but one recall suddenly disappeared from the app even though no physical repairs were done and no documentation was provided. NHTSA still shows Recall 25V543 as incomplete, involving BCM soldering defects that can cause trailer taillamp failure, electrical malfunctions, HVAC issues, mirror/window failures, power outlet issues, and other safety-related electrical problems. The dealer has not scheduled the repair despite parts being listed as available. Ford Motor Company and the dealer have not provided any recall history, OASIS report, repair documentation, or explanation for why multiple recalls disappeared. This creates a safety concern because the vehicle may have unresolved electrical or lighting defects that were not properly repaired or were prematurely marked as closed after a software update. The issue has not been resolved, and Ford has not responded to multiple requests.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 6, 2025
There is a large black box on the interior windshield surrounding the rearview mirror. This box blocks the defrost on the windshield, causing ice buildup on the windshield in this area thus causing ice buildup on the windshield wipers. This causes the windshield wipers to be ineffective at removing water, snow, slush, - whatever debris is on the windshield from being removed greatly decreasing visibility in freezing temperatures. I first noticed this when it started to get cold and my windshield wipers were making a strange noise. I got out of the car to see what was going on with the windshield and noticed the ice building up at the top middle of the windshield. As I drove, and the temperatures dropped, the top half of my windshield where this black box is iced up causing my windshield wipers to be ineffective on about the top half of my windshield. This greatly reduced visibility in already reduced visibility driving conditions. This was not just ice on the windshield. It was very obviously accumulating where this box is, due to ineffective defrost of the windshield.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Nov 15, 2025
“I rented vehicle VIN [XXX] from Budget Rental Car in Panama City Beach, FL (Reservation #XXX, Rental Agreement XXX). I later discovered the vehicle had an unrepaired federal safety recall (NHTSA Recall 25V543 / Manufacturer Recall 25C42) involving the Body Control Module. Budget never informed me of the recall at any time. On November 11, 2025, when I attempted to extend my rental, the representative told me the vehicle had been ‘sold’ and must be returned within two days. When I attempted to exchange it on November 12–13 at three different Budget locations in Lansing, MI, they refused to take the vehicle, stating it had a safety recall and should not have been rented out. Only after this did I check the VIN myself and learn of the safety recall. The recall affects multiple electrical and visibility-related components: trailer lights, interior lights, mirrors, windows, rear defroster, USB/12V ports, and HVAC systems. These issues can reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a crash. While driving the vehicle, I experienced visibility problems. The windows fogged up severely, and the defroster did not operate properly. As a result, I was unable to see an animal that entered the roadway and unfortunately struck it. There is now damage to the front driver’s side of the vehicle. This visibility impairment aligns with the Body Control Module recall defects described by NHTSA. This vehicle should not have been rented to any customer, especially with the remedy unavailable until late 2025. I am reporting this because an unrepaired safety recall vehicle placed into active rental service directly resulted in a visibility hazard and an unavoidable collision while I was driving.” I did not make it back in time to return the vehicle yesterday 11/14/2025 I am finishing up this report and on my way to Budget in Panama City Beach Florida to return it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Visibility/wiper, Oct 2, 2025
Driving to park in garage and camera system came on the display screen, non-functional, displaying a black screen and message with "There's an issue with your camera system" - please see dealer for service. *This has happened twice, once on [XXX] at 9pm and a 2nd time [XXX] at 840pm. So far, as of writing this on 10/2 it has not repeated. Took car to dealership to inspect and codes were evident in system. Dealership investigating (10/2/25 at 1004 AM) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Visibility/wiper, Sep 8, 2025
Bought my new 2025 explorer an 2 days laterits been parked I noticed a craked on the windshield there is no rock ship nor nothing hit it but i did notice theres 2 cracks on the top black part of windshield where it just out of nowhere keeps cracking down took it to safelite an they said thats a Defect on the windshield
Visibility/wiper, Jun 8, 2025
When raining water droplets accumulate on the 2025 Explorer rear view camera lens obscuring the image and in some cases rendering it completely useless. Earlier models such as the 2014 Ford Explorer had the camera positioned in a manner where this did not happen and it stayed clean. Later Explorer models had the ability to clean the lens by activating the rear wiper's washer which squirted washer fluid on it.