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CURIWORLD VEHICLE EXPLORER

2021 Ford EXPLORER Problems & Recalls

Official U.S. NHTSA safety records organized for faster research, comparison and VIN-level follow-up.

26NHTSA recalls
430consumer complaints
10grouped problem categories

What the data says

NHTSA currently returns 26 recall records and 430 consumer complaints for this exact 2021 Ford EXPLORER query. The largest grouped complaint category in the current dataset is Power Train / Transmission. Complaint volume is not proof of a defect and should not be used alone as a reliability score.

Nearby model years: 2020

Most reported problem categories

Related NHTSA component labels are grouped into clearer categories to reduce duplicate-looking labels. A single consumer complaint can reference more than one vehicle component, so category counts may exceed the number of individual complaints. Counts summarize reports, not confirmed defects.

Power Train / Transmission122 reports
Other / Unspecified86 reports
Visibility / Camera79 reports
Engine58 reports
Electrical System43 reports
Fuel / Propulsion34 reports
Brakes24 reports
Structure / Body23 reports
Forward Collision Avoidance19 reports
Seats15 reports

Bar lengths are relative to the largest category shown on this page; they are not percentages or reliability scores.

Safety recalls

Showing the first 6 records for quick reading. Expand the list to review the remaining official records.

SUSPENSION:REAR

NHTSA Campaign 21V870000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. Incorrect rear suspension module components may have been installed due to a labeling error.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear suspension module, and replace any incorrect parts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S47.

ENGINE

NHTSA Campaign 20V788000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The right hand motor mount fasteners may have been incorrectly tightened, and may loosen over time.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove and replace the right hand motor mount fasteners, free of charge. The recall began February 3, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S72.

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

NHTSA Campaign 21V735000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Corsair, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy: Dealers will update the Image Processing Module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S44.

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

NHTSA Campaign 21V652000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag attachment weld studs could detach during the deployment of the side air bag, resulting in an improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, "Side Impact Protection".

Remedy: Dealers will replace the side air bag assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C19.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

NHTSA Campaign 23V022000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

Remedy: Dealers will update the image processing module (IPMB) software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed April 25, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed February 13, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

NHTSA Campaign 23V069000

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine and 10R60 automatic transmission. An unintentional powertrain control module (PCM) reset may occur while the vehicle is in motion and result in park system damage.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the park system for damage and repair as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S05.

How to interpret complaints

NHTSA consumer complaints can help surface possible safety trends, but a complaint is not a finding that a defect exists. The count reflects records returned for this exact model year, make and model when Curiworld last fetched the official dataset.

Explore related vehicle data

Use the Curiworld Data hubs to compare this vehicle with other reviewed pages without mixing unreviewed drafts into public navigation.

Check a specific vehicle

Year/make/model results are general. Whether an individual vehicle has an unrepaired recall depends on its VIN.

Check VIN on NHTSA

Methodology & source

Primary source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Recalls and Complaints APIs.

Last successful data refresh: 2026-10-05 18:27:32

Curiworld groups official records for research and comparison. Counts can change as NHTSA receives or updates records. Curiworld does not determine whether a vehicle is defective and does not replace an official VIN recall check.