The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles. For vehicles over 9,000 miles, dealers will perform a functional check on the body control module C and replace it as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Aviator 2025 owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2025. Explorer 2025 owner letters were mailed November 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C42.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2025 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2025 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
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 | 2025 | 107 | 20 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2025 | 18 | 15 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 2025
52 of the 891 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2025 concerned the exterior lighting; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 25V885000 18 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V890000 18 Dec 2025 | Altec Industries, Inc. |
| 25V845000 9 Dec 2025 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 25V831000 1 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V804000 20 Nov 2025 | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 25V803000 20 Nov 2025 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
| 25V756000 3 Nov 2025 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
| 25V757000 3 Nov 2025 | Volvo Trucks North America |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2025