Photo: Ford
Ford sold no fewer than 827,278 utility vehicles in the United States of America last year. Of those, the Explorer is the king of the hill, with 219,871 deliveries to its name. Redesigned in 2019 for the 2020 model year, the Explorer also is the most recalled SUV in the automaker’s lineup.
In the first year of production, the mid-size crossover managed to rack up a whopping 12 recalls, one investigation, 286 complaints, and 169 manufacturer communications, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The latest recall, previewed by a dealer notice that we’ve covered in a previous article, concerns no fewer than 252,936 units.
Ford’s engineering department discovered and became aware of the issue on August 10th, 2021, through warranty claims. More specifically, Explorers built with three-point rear axles feature a mounting bolt that may fracture.
The subsequent analysis identified loss of park as a potential effect in cases that involve driveshaft damage. Two dealerships confirmed such damage in March 2022 as per a document filed with the federal watchdog. The rear module assembler, a company by the name of Dakkota, implemented a corrective action in February 2020. Another corrective action followed suit in April 2020. As of April 2022, the Ford Motor Company has been aware of 235 warranty claims involving the suspect rear axle bolt since December 2019.
Thankfully, the Blue Oval isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries.
The Ford Motor Company notes that “powertrain torque causes axle rotation of the pinion angled towards the subframe, which exerts a bending force on the rear axle bolt. Peak torque is normally experienced during a launch event. After numerous peak torque events are experienced, the bolt may suffer a fatigue failure, which will lead to the axle housing moving out of position.” If the bolt does break, the driveshaft or half-shafts may disconnect, allowing the vehicle to roll if the parking brake is not applied. Very yikes!
Civilian-spec Explorers will receive a PCM software update that engages the electronic park brake when park is commanded, which isn’t really a remedy in some customers’ eyes. Police-spec Explorers, on the other hand, will have their bushings and axle covers replaced by authorized retailers.
Owner notification letters will be mailed between June 6th and June 10th.
Ford’s engineering department discovered and became aware of the issue on August 10th, 2021, through warranty claims. More specifically, Explorers built with three-point rear axles feature a mounting bolt that may fracture.
The subsequent analysis identified loss of park as a potential effect in cases that involve driveshaft damage. Two dealerships confirmed such damage in March 2022 as per a document filed with the federal watchdog. The rear module assembler, a company by the name of Dakkota, implemented a corrective action in February 2020. Another corrective action followed suit in April 2020. As of April 2022, the Ford Motor Company has been aware of 235 warranty claims involving the suspect rear axle bolt since December 2019.
Thankfully, the Blue Oval isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries.
The Ford Motor Company notes that “powertrain torque causes axle rotation of the pinion angled towards the subframe, which exerts a bending force on the rear axle bolt. Peak torque is normally experienced during a launch event. After numerous peak torque events are experienced, the bolt may suffer a fatigue failure, which will lead to the axle housing moving out of position.” If the bolt does break, the driveshaft or half-shafts may disconnect, allowing the vehicle to roll if the parking brake is not applied. Very yikes!
Civilian-spec Explorers will receive a PCM software update that engages the electronic park brake when park is commanded, which isn’t really a remedy in some customers’ eyes. Police-spec Explorers, on the other hand, will have their bushings and axle covers replaced by authorized retailers.
Owner notification letters will be mailed between June 6th and June 10th.
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