Ford recalls 412,774 Explorers over rear suspension fracture risk

Ford Motor Company is recalling 412,774 2017-2019 Explorer SUVs in the United States after federal safety officials concluded a rear suspension toe link can fracture and potentially produce a loss of steering or directional control, increasing crash risk. The affected vehicles were built with a specific cross-axis ball joint and toe link combination that NHTSA says can fail under certain loading conditions.

“Affected vehicles are equipped with cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) parts manufactured by SAF and rear suspension toe links that may fracture under certain loading conditions,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in its recall summary. The combination of SAF CABJ parts and the toe link was first used in production on May 16, 2017 and discontinued on March 3, 2019. NHTSA lists the total potentially involved as 412,774 Explorers produced during that window.

The agency opened direct contact with Ford after receiving five Vehicle Owner Questionnaires that described loss of directional control. “On January 13, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contacted Ford regarding five Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) they received describing a loss of directional control while driving resulting from a failed rear toe link on 2018 model year Explorer vehicles,” NHTSA records show. Ford’s internal safety review followed quickly. “On January 20, 2026, Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) opened an investigation into this concern,” the report states. Ford’s Field Review Committee later approved a field action.

Dealers will replace the rear toe link(s) free of charge; NHTSA has instructed dealers to perform the replacement as the remedy. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed between March 9 and March 13, and owners can confirm vehicle applicability by calling Ford’s recall line at 1-866-436-7332 or by contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer that can check the Ford OASIS database. NHTSA cautioned that these Explorers were not produced in VIN order, which can complicate online VIN searches for affected vehicles.

Ford and regulators describe the risk as concentrated: the manufacturer estimates roughly 1 percent of the recalled population may actually exhibit the defect. As of February 20, Ford said it was aware of two accidents globally that may be related to a rear toe link suspension fracture and said it was not aware of any injuries linked to the issue.

Administratively, Ford assigned the action internal recall number 26S08; NHTSA documentation frames the move as an expansion of an earlier recall population tied to NHTSA recall 21V537 and references a prior population labeled 21S32 in portions of the agency record. The technical supplier, production window, and the non-VIN production order are cited by regulators as central to why more vehicles are now included.

The recall adds to a busy safety calendar for Ford. Separately announced actions include a 40,655-vehicle recall for battery failures and brake pedal defects, and industry tracking showed Ford issued 103 safety recalls in 2025. For owners the immediate steps are clear: contact Ford or your dealer to confirm eligibility, schedule the free toe link replacement if required, and watch for the March mailings that will include specific next steps.