Is my 2018 Ford Explorer affected by a recall?
NHTSA lists 7 safety recall campaigns covering this vehicle. A campaign covers a production range, so only your own VIN can answer it for your car.
NHTSA lists 7 safety recall campaigns covering the 2018 Ford Explorer, the most recent reported July 14, 2026. A campaign covers a range of vehicles rather than every one built, so the only way to know whether yours is included is to check your VIN against NHTSA's own lookup. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer, whatever the car is worth and however old it is.
- Recall campaigns
- 7
- Most recent
- July 14, 2026
- Do not drive
- None
- Park outside
- None
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, as ingested August 17, 2026
All 7 campaigns, newest first
Every summary, consequence and remedy below is NHTSA's own wording, printed unedited. The campaign number is what a dealer needs if you call to ask whether yours is covered.
- Structure:bodyNHTSA 26V448000 · reported July 14, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
- The risk
- A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The remedy
- Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 24, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 288,314 vehicles
- Manufacturer number
- 26S54
- Suspension:rearNHTSA 26V101000 · reported February 20, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
- The risk
- A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The remedy
- Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 412,774 vehicles
- Owners notified
- March 16, 2026
- Manufacturer number
- 26S08
- Equipment:electrical:engine block heaterNHTSA 25V685000 · reported October 10, 2025
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.
- The risk
- An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
- The 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 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.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 59,006 vehicles
- Manufacturer number
- 25SA4
- Structure:body:roof and pillarsNHTSA 24V031000 · reported January 19, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles. The A-pillar trim retention clips may not be properly engaged, allowing the trim to detach.
- The risk
- A detached trim piece can fall off the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
- The remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the A-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model years. Owner notification letters were mailed between July 18, 2024 and December 16, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S02.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 1,889,110 vehicles
- Owners notified
- July 18, 2024
- Manufacturer number
- 24S02
- Structure:bodyNHTSA 21V316000 · reported May 5, 2021
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The retention pins could loosen and allow the roof rail covers to detach from the vehicle.
- The risk
- A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The remedy
- Dealers will install push-pins and replace any damaged rail clips and roof rail covers, as necessary, free of charge. The interim owner notification letter was mailed on June 22, 2021. Owner notification letters (remedy available) were mailed on October 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S22.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 616,967 vehicles
- Owners notified
- October 1, 2021
- Manufacturer number
- 21S22
- Seats:mid/rear assemblyNHTSA 19V633000 · reported August 28, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
- The risk
- A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- The remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 639,137 vehicles
- Owners notified
- October 21, 2019
- Manufacturer number
- 19C07
- Fuel system, gasolineNHTSA 18V807000 · reported November 14, 2018
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Ford Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L or 3.5L GTDI engine. Due to an assembly error, the fuel pressure sensor may leak fuel.
- The risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- The remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 7, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S35.
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Potentially affected
- 144 vehicles
- Owners notified
- December 7, 2018
- Manufacturer number
- 18S35
How to check whether yours is one of them.
Take the VIN off the driver's-side windshield or the door jamb sticker and put it into NHTSA's own recall lookup. It answers for that exact car, which no list on a page can. Recall work is free at a franchised dealer of that make, and it stays free however old the car is.
- 1. Find the 17-character VIN, lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side, or on the door jamb sticker.
- 2. Check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls, the agency's own lookup. Our decoder will tell you what the number means, but NHTSA is the one that knows whether your car is in a campaign.
- 3. If it is, call a franchised Ford dealer and give them the campaign number. The repair is free.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, safety recall campaigns. Summary, consequence and remedy are NHTSA's own wording, unedited. A recall is a manufacturer or agency decision that a vehicle does not meet a safety standard or contains a defect posing an unreasonable risk. It is not a complaint, and it is not an opinion about the car as a whole.
Registration counts: New York State DMV registration file, five New York City counties, August 17, 2026 snapshot. A registration is a record in a state database, not a car on the road, and the borough is where the registrant receives mail rather than where the car is driven. How we counted.
Fuel economy: EPA and DOE ratings published at FuelEconomy.gov, unaveraged, so each configuration is its own row. Recalls and complaints: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, the agency's own wording, as ingested August 17, 2026. Complaints are reports members of the public filed, not confirmed defects. The NYC registration study is the analysis these counts sit on top of.
234 vehicles in this directory, covering 520,848 registered cars. Data as of August 17, 2026.