Ford Motor Company recalls select 2013-17 Ford Explorer SUVs as of Wednesday.
Approximately 350,000 U.S. 2013-17 Ford Explorer SUVs, and 25,200 Canadian units have been affected by this recall. These Explorers came from the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant, assembled from September 4, 2012 to January 25, 2017. As of now, there have been 13 reports of accidents and six reports of injuries related to the suspension defect.
According to Ford:
Some affected vehicles, sold or registered in certain areas of North America states and provinces where corrosion is common, have experienced a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link after completion of a prior safety recall repair. A fracture of a rear toe link significantly diminishes steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
As Ford recalls these Explorer models, dealerships will inspect each vehicle and take appropriate action. The cross-axis ball joint will receive a torque inspection and replace it as necessary.
A previous recall:
Back in June 2019, we reported on a similar recall affecting 1.2 million select models of the Explorer. These vehicles were built from 2011 – 2017. That recall reference number is 19S17. That time, Ford dealers removed and replaced both left and right toe links free of charge. They also re-aligned the rear suspension after replacing the components.
Recall resources:
Owners can visit Ford’s recall website and submit their VIN. If you prefer to contact the automaker directly, Ford’s general phone number is (800) 392-3673, and the recall reference number is 20S62. You can go to the NHTSA website for additional details.
