The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·21V537000·Announced 2021-07-15

Ford Recalls 2013-2017 Explorers for Rear Suspension Toe Link Fracture Risk

Ford is recalling 2013-2017 Explorers in 23 states and D.C. because road salt exposure can cause rear suspension parts to corrode and fracture, potentially leading to loss of steering control.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (rear suspension toe link fracture) that can result in a loss of steering control and increase the risk of a crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2013-2017 Ford Explorer vehicles originally sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The recall addresses a defect where exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize. This corrosion can result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.

A fractured rear toe link can result in a loss of steering control, which increases the risk of a crash. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles that were previously repaired under those recalls will need to return for the new remedy.

Dealers will inspect and replace the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle and the rear suspension toe links as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021, and owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
FORD EXPLORER
Brand
FORD
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — SUV
Hazard
Affected units
631,176

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • EXPLORER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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