The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect.
The risk
A disconnected driveshaft can result in vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park without the parking brake applied. 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 powertrain control module (PCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S22.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2020, 2021, 2022 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
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 power train recalls in 2025
41 of the 891 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2025 concerned the power train; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 25V881000 18 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V866000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V860000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V863000 12 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V723000 23 Oct 2025 | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| 25V705000 16 Oct 2025 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 25V702000 15 Oct 2025 | International Motors, LLC |
| 25V703000 15 Oct 2025 | International Motors, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2025