- More than 412,000 Explorers recalled over rear toe-link problem.
- Fracture can reduce steering control and increase risk of a crash.
- Ford dealers will replace duff links with stronger redesigned parts.
If you own a Ford Explorer, you might want to listen out for clunks that are not your kids hurling toys around in the third row. Ford is recalling hundreds of thousands of the SUVs because a rear suspension component could give up at the worst possible moment. Not that there’s ever a good moment for that kind of thing.
According to documents filed with NHTSA, Ford is recalling 412,774 examples of the MY17-19 Explorer in the United States. The issue centers on the rear suspension toe links, those bars that keep the back wheels pointing in the right direction. Worryingly, they may fracture under certain load conditions.
Related: Some Ford SUV Windshields Might Fly Off, And It’s Not Their Only Recall This Week
When a rear toe link snaps, you might have trouble steering where you want to go, increasing the risk of a crash. Think grocery store trolley on ice. Drivers might notice a clunk givnoise, unusual handling, or even a visibly misaligned rear wheel before things escalate. None of those are the kind of surprises you want at highway speeds with your family onboard.
Ball-Joint Ache
Ford says the root cause has not been fully determined. Some reports point to a seized cross-axis ball joint, which can create extra stress on the toe link and eventually cause it to fracture.
The company is aware of two global accidents potentially related to the issue, both involving vehicles that hit guardrails or barriers after a toe link failure. But thankfully, Ford says it’s not aware of any injuries. Owners will be asked to visit dealers for a free suspension upgrade with a stronger, redesigned toe link.
If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably got a long memory, because the Explorer has wrestled with toe link drama before. Way back in 2016, we covered a recall for 2014 and 2015 models that was fairly modest, concerning 75,000 vehicles. But that was followed by a massive 1.2 million-unit recall in 2019 covering 2011 to 2017 SUVs, another 375,000-example campaign in 2020, and 775,000 the following year.
Hot Hybrids
Dodgy suspension arms aren’t Ford’s only safety concern this month. The automaker is telling 24,690 owners of 2023-2025 Ford Escape and 2023-2026 Lincoln Corsair plug-in hybrids not to charge past 80 percent until a problem with their batteries has been rectified. Ford says a manufacturing defect in one or more of the high-voltage battery cells could cause a short circuit and even a fire, but it’s still working on a fix.
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