The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. The seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured. Additionally, vehicles may have an improperly secured seat belt retractor anchor bolt and/or seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped.
The risk
A loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect seat belt buckle anchor bolts in all seating positions. Additionally, dealers will inspect the seat belt retractor anchor bolt and seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped. If loose anchor bolts are found, the affected seat components will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S09.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2020, 2021 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2020, 2021 |
Components: SEAT BELTS
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 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2020 | 110 | 30 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2021 | 40 | 28 |
Other seat belts recalls in 2025
33 of the 891 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2025 concerned the seat belts; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 25V899000 19 Dec 2025 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 25V872000 17 Dec 2025 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 25V862000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V864000 12 Dec 2025 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC |
| 25V816000 25 Nov 2025 | Rivian Automotive, LLC |
| 25V797000 17 Nov 2025 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 25V777000 12 Nov 2025 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 25V773000 10 Nov 2025 | Nova Bus (US) Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2025