Recall Register

2023 Ford Explorer: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns for the 2023 Ford Explorer. The newest campaign is 26V451000. NHTSA received the report on 14 Jul 2026. The NHTSA record gives the component Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly. NHTSA has 110 complaints on file for this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 26V451000, in the NHTSA record

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.
NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.

NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

15 campaigns, newest first. 3,599,589 units in total.

  • 26V451000Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly
  • 26V159000Seat Belts
  • 26V123000Back Over Prevention / Software
  • 25V685000Equipment / Electrical / Engine Block Heater
  • 25V455000Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump
  • 25V442000Back Over Prevention / Software
  • 25V393000Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly
  • 25V159000Back Over Prevention / Software
  • 24V852000Equipment / Other / Labels
  • 24V091000Suspension / Front / Macpherson Strut
  • 23V686000Back Over Prevention / Display Function
  • 23V597000Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Oil/Lubrication / Pipes, Hoses, and Fittings
  • 23V342000Back Over Prevention / Sensing System / Camera
  • 23V070000Power Train / Automatic Transmission
  • 23V022000Back Over Prevention / Sensing System / Camera

  1. 26V451000Received . 387,911 units.

    Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    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.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    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.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 26S52. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  2. 26V159000Received . 561 units.

    Seat Belts

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    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.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    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.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 26C18. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  3. 26V123000Received . 889,950 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Software

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2020-2024 Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The image on the center display may flip or invert, resulting in an incorrectly displayed rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will update the accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C11. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 26C11. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  4. 25V685000Received . 59,006 units.

    Equipment / Electrical / Engine Block Heater

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 25SA4.

  5. 25V455000Received . 850,318 units.

    Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Fuel Pump

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 25S75. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  6. 25V442000Received . 200,237 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Software

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 25S72. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  7. 25V393000Received . 304,662 units.

    Seats / Mid/Rear Assembly

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    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.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    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.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 25S67. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  8. 25V159000Received . 49,399 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Software

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 23V-342. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will update the Image Processing Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S27.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 25S27. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  9. 24V852000Received . 27,678 units.

    Equipment / Other / Labels

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    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."
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    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.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    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.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 24C39. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  10. 24V091000Received . 121 units.

    Suspension / Front / Macpherson Strut

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles. The right-front lower fastener connecting the steering knuckle and strut may be loose or missing.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A loose or missing connection between the knuckle and strut can cause improper tire alignment, resulting in a steering pull or require increased steering effort. Additionally, the brake hose may contact the tire and become damaged, resulting in a brake fluid leak and a loss of braking ability. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will inspect the fasteners, and tighten or install them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 08, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S04.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 24S04. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  11. 23V686000Received . 2,866 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Display Function

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a standard rearview camera. Due to a manufacturing error in the wire harness, the rearview camera may display a blue image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will inspect the rearview camera wire harness and repair any loose splices, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C31.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 23C31. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  12. 23V597000Received . 10 units.

    Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine / Oil/Lubrication / Pipes, Hoses, and Fittings

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines. The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Owners are advised to park and shut off the engine as soon as possible if they see an oil pressure warning light or smoke coming from the engine compartment. Dealers will replace the turbo oil supply line assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S50.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 23S50. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  13. 23V342000Received . 442,973 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Sensing System / Camera

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will replace the 360-degree camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 10, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S23. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 23V-022. Vehicles previously repaired under 23V-022 will need to have the new remedy performed.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 23S23. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  14. 23V070000Received . 1,138 units.

    Power Train / Automatic Transmission

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK."
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    The inability to secure the vehicle in the park position can result in a rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the transmissions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S06.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 23S06. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  15. 23V022000Received . 382,759 units.

    Back Over Prevention / Sensing System / Camera

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.
    Consequence, in the NHTSA record
    Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealers will update the image processing module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 25, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S02. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 21V-735. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-735 will need to have the new remedy performed.

    Report filed by Ford Motor Company. Manufacturer campaign number 23S02. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

110 complaints, 157 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

  • 2023 Ford Explorer
  • All 2023 vehicles
2023 Ford Explorer: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component2023 ExplorerAll 2023 vehiclesExplorer, all yearsMentions
Unknown or Other159.2109.972.225
Suspension89.219.246.714
Electrical System82.8149.753.313
Power Train76.478.9129.412
Steering76.464.296.412
Engine63.7111.147.310
Structure63.728.312310
Lane Departure5129.31.88
Forward Collision Avoidance5195.74.78
Back Over Prevention5119.710.58

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 25.

Complaints that report a crash
7
Complaints that report a fire
2
Injuries in the complaints
9
Deaths in the complaints
0
Date of the newest complaint
28 Sep 2026

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 2023 Ford Explorer, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2026, with 33 complaints.

Investigations

The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

  1. 19770
  2. 19840
  3. 19850
  4. 19860
  5. 19870
  6. 19880
  7. 19890
  8. 19900
  9. 19918
  10. 19924
  11. 19936
  12. 19944
  13. 19955
  14. 19966
  15. 19977
  16. 19989
  17. 19999
  18. 20009
  19. 20016
  20. 20024
  21. 20032
  22. 20040
  23. 20050
  24. 20061
  25. 20071
  26. 20081
  27. 20090
  28. 20101
  29. 20116
  30. 20125
  31. 201311
  32. 20146
  33. 20158
  34. 201614
  35. 201713
  36. 20187
  37. 20196
  38. 202033
  39. 202126
  40. 202224
  41. 202315
  42. 202410
  43. 202520
  44. 202614
  45. 20271

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

Official channels

Cite this page

Recall Register. 2023 Ford Explorer: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/ford/explorer/2023/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .

Sources

Source
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence
US government work, public domain
Recall file through
30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through
30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file
1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file
Ford Motor Company

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2023 Ford Explorer?
3,599,589 units in 15 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Ford Explorer have for all model years?
NHTSA lists 142 recall campaigns for the Ford Explorer, model years 1977 to 2027. 15 of them name the 2023 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 2023 Ford Explorer name most often?
Unknown or Other: 25 of 157 component mentions, or 159.2 per 1,000. For all 2023 vehicles the figure is 109.9 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2023 Ford Explorer open?
The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.