The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·21V652000·Announced 2021-08-23

2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator side air bag assembly defect

Ford and Lincoln are recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. Side air bag attachment weld studs may detach during deployment, potentially failing to provide proper protection in a crash.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This is a confirmed structural defect in a critical vehicle safety component (side air bag assembly) where attachment welds may detach during deployment. While this creates a documented risk of injury during crashes, no injuries or incidents are reported in the source text. Per the rubric, risk-of-harm products without reported injury are scored at a maximum of 3.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2021 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles due to defective side air bag attachment welds. The weld studs securing the side air bag assembly may detach during deployment of the side air bag.

This defect can result in improper deployment of the side air bag, which would reduce protective coverage during a crash and increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. These vehicles fail to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214 requirements for side impact protection.

Ford dealers will replace the side air bag assemblies at no cost. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) for more information.

The recalled product

Product
FORD, LINCOLN EXPLORER, AVIATOR
Brand
FORD
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag Safety Systems
Hazard
Affected units
592

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 (2)

  • EXPLORER
  • AVIATOR

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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