Recalls ·2024 Ford Explorer Timberline AWD

2024 Ford Explorer Timberline AWD recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2024 Ford Explorer Timberline AWD; the most frequently affected component is seats — mid/rear assembly. Owners filed 21 complaints, most often about unknown or other. Among the 4 model years of this model in the database, 2024 ranks #4 for number of recalls.

Recalls10
Complaints21
Crashes reported2in stored complaints
Fires reported1in stored complaints

Check your own vehicle by VIN at NHTSA →

Recalls (10)

Seats — Mid/rear assemblyCampaign 26V451000 · 14 Jul 2026

Problem: 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.

Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Power train — Automatic transmissionCampaign 26V371000 · 09 Jun 2026

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

Risk: A park system that is damaged may not shift into "PARK," resulting in a vehicle rollaway and increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect for park system damage and replace the park system components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S39. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 12, 2026.

Seat beltsCampaign 26V159000 · 17 Mar 2026

Problem: 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.

Risk: A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Back over prevention — SoftwareCampaign 26V123000 · 03 Mar 2026

Problem: 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."

Risk: An incorrectly displayed rearview image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Equipment — Engine block heaterCampaign 26V012000 · 15 Jan 2026

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Focus, 2019 Explorer, and 2024 Explorer vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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 February 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in October 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 January 16, 2026. This recall expands previous recall number 25V685.

Trailer hitchesCampaign 25V687000 · 10 Oct 2025

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.

Risk: While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Back over prevention — SoftwareCampaign 25V442000 · 27 Jun 2025

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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: 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.

Seats — Mid/rear assemblyCampaign 25V393000 · 13 Jun 2025

Problem: 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.

Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Equipment — LabelsCampaign 24V852000 · 08 Nov 2024

Problem: 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."

Risk: 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: 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.

Hybrid propulsion systemCampaign 24V685000 · 13 Sep 2024

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 3.3L Hybrid engines. The 12-Volt battery cable may chafe against the Belt-integrated Starter Generat (BiSG) and short circuit.

Risk: A short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will install a tie strap between the battery cable and high voltage cable, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S61.

What owners complain about

Share of the 21 most recent complaints stored for this model year, by component. Owners can list more than one component.

Unknown or other4 · 19%
Suspension3 · 14%
Visibility/wiper3 · 14%
Forward collision avoidance3 · 14%
Steering2 · 10%
Seats2 · 10%
Air bags2 · 10%
Electrical system2 · 10%

When complaints were filed

20247
20256
20268

From owner complaints

The contact owns a 2024 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-40 MPH in cold weather, the vehicle started making an abnormal clunking and rattling sound near the wheels. The contact was unable to determine the source of the noise. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated…

Steering · Dec 2024 · NHTSA complaint record

Inner fender liners are getting rubbed through by the tires creating large holes and exposing wiring harnesses and other components to the tire/wheel well area. We have seen this on about 5-6 of these same vehicles now.

Unknown or other · Jun 2024 · NHTSA complaint record

The headrest on the third row is locked in the upright position and won't fold down. I've looked online and it seems to happen in every ford explorer in the current generation, 2020+. I see hundreds of complaints online. Across the forums and reddit.

Seats · Nov 2025 · NHTSA complaint record

There is a distortion in the front windshield affecting my ability to see the front right corner of my vehicle. I was leaving a restaurant in the dark and the distortion affected the headlights to the point it didn’t appear there were any on the right side of the vehicle. In daylight, that area of the windshield is so…

Visibility/wiper · Apr 2024 · NHTSA complaint record

How this year compares

Recalls per model year for this model.

Related pages

Source

Recall and complaint records from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A recall listed here may not apply to every vehicle of this model year — always check your VIN with NHTSA or a dealer.