- Vehicles
- 412,774
- Built between
- May 2017 – Mar 2019
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 16 March 2026
- Repaired
- 29%
- Unrepaired
- 277,901
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between May 2017 and March 2019. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2017-2019 Ford ExplorerBuilt May 2017 to March 2019
Repair progress
277,901 of 412,774 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q2 2026.
29% repaired — 121,649 of 412,774 reported
- Owners not reachable
- 13,220
- Scrapped or exported
- 4
Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.
What the defect is
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Explorer vehicles. The rear suspension toe links may fracture.
What could happen
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
What gets fixed
Dealers will replace the toe links, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2026.
Parts involved
- : Link Rear Suspension ComponentDB53-5A972-D*Toe Link for Explorer 3.5L FWD, 2.0L FWD, 2.3L FWD
- Link Rear Suspension ComponentDB53-5A972-C*Toe Link for Explorer 3.5L AWD, 3.7L AWD/FWD
Part numbers are as filed by the manufacturer and are listed for reference. Your dealer will confirm the correct part for your vehicle.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtMay 2017 to March 2019
- Recall reported to NHTSA20 February 2026
- Owners notified16 March 2026
- Latest repair reportQ2 2026 — 29% repaired
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 20 February 2026.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners may contact Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S08. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall number 21V537. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning February 25, 2026.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 26S08
- Recalling manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.