The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L RWD, 3.3L GAS, 3.3L FHEV, or 3.0L ST powertrain. The previous powertrain control module (PCM) update completed under recall 22V-255 did not include the automatic electronic parking brake feature when the vehicle is shifted to park, as intended. In addition, the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
The risk
Without the electronic parking brake applied, the vehicle could rollaway if the driveshaft disconnects. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a loss of drive power. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 31, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S16.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2020, 2021, 2022 |
Components: PARKING BRAKE:ELECTRICAL | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2020 | 1,241 | 33 |
| Ford Explorer | 2021 | 447 | 26 |
| Ford Explorer | 2022 | 271 | 24 |
Other parking brake recalls in 2023
17 of the 894 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2023 concerned the parking brake; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 23V798000 26 Nov 2023 | Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. |
| 23V776000 17 Nov 2023 | Xos, Inc. |
| 23V774000 17 Nov 2023 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 23V760000 10 Nov 2023 | Xos, Inc. |
| 23V748000 7 Nov 2023 | Alexis Fire Equipment Company |
| 23V747000 7 Nov 2023 | Custom Fire Apparatus, Inc. |
| 23V699000 17 Oct 2023 | Autocar, LLC |
| 23V631000 12 Sept 2023 | Spartan Fire, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2023