What Happened
Ford Motor Company is recalling over 412,000 older Ford Explorers due to a significant rear suspension issue. The recall specifically targets 2017 to 2019 Explorer models, which may have defective rear toe links that are prone to breaking. This defect has been linked to two accidents, although no injuries have been reported.
Why It Matters
The affected vehicles have rear toe links that may fracture under load, potentially reducing steering control and increasing the risk of a crash. Signs of trouble can include misaligned rear wheels, clunking noises, and abnormal handling. Ford is currently investigating the cause of the problem, suspecting that cross-axis ball joints may seize and bend the rear toe link, leading to failure.
What’s Next
Ford plans to notify affected owners starting in mid-March. Owners will be instructed to bring their vehicles to dealerships, where the original toe links will be replaced with stronger, corrosion-resistant components. This recall follows three similar recalls issued between 2019 and 2021, which affected nearly 120,000 Canadian units from earlier model years.
