FORD suspension recall — 21V537000
Ford Motor Company reported recall 21V537000 to NHTSA on July 15, 2021.
21V537000
Official NHTSA text (English)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Exposure to road salt can cause the cross-axis ball joint to corrode and seize, resulting in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace as necessary, the cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) knuckle, and replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. This recall is an expansion of previous NHTSA recall numbers 16V-245, 19V-435, and 20V-675. Certain vehicles previously repaired will need to return for the new remedy. An interim notification letter notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on September 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 16, 2022. Owners may contact Ford's customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S32.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign number: 21V537000 · Report received: July 15, 2021
https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V537000
What does this record mean?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 21V537000 to NHTSA on July 15, 2021. The record falls under suspension and covers 2 make-model-year combinations across FORD, model years 2016–2017.
A recall is the manufacturer identifying a safety-related defect or a non-compliance with a standard in a group of vehicles, and reporting it officially. It does not mean the whole vehicle is faulty: it covers a specific condition found in a specific part, within a specific build range.
This record concerns a steering or suspension defect. Records in this family can involve reduced steering control, fasteners working loose, or handling that differs from what the vehicle was designed for.
What should I do?
If you feel play in the steering, pulling to one side, noise or vibration, contact the dealer and avoid high speeds until it is fixed. The recall work is free of charge.
Work carried out under a recall is done at no cost to the owner. This does not depend on the vehicle still being in warranty: a recall is not a warranty claim, it is a separate obligation. The dealer should not charge you for labour or parts.
Whether a record covers your vehicle is determined by make, model and model year — but not every vehicle of that model year is necessarily included. The manufacturer usually covers a specific build date range. Only a VIN-based lookup gives a definite answer.
Where is the VIN?
The VIN has 17 characters and appears in four places: on a plate at the lower left corner of the windscreen, on the label inside the driver's door jamb, on the registration document, and on most vehicles on a label in the engine bay. VINs never use the letters I, O or Q; the similar-looking characters are the digits 1, 0 and 9.
Before you go to the dealer
The work is done at the manufacturer's authorised dealer. Quoting the campaign number when you book shortens the process, because the dealer can order the part in advance. If you are not sure whether your vehicle is covered, verify it on the manufacturer's own VIN lookup page; that link is provided on this page.
Before you go to the dealer, have three things ready: the VIN, the registration document and the campaign number. If you have seen a symptom related to the defect, note when and under what conditions; that speeds up diagnosis. Keep the paperwork showing the work that was done: it is useful when you sell the vehicle or if a second record appears.
Source and currency
The official text on this page is reproduced exactly as NHTSA published it. It has not been summarised, rewritten or interpreted. The rest of the page is written in this language.
NHTSA records cover vehicles sold in the US market. A model with the same name sold in Europe or elsewhere may have been built with different equipment and different suppliers, so whether a record covers your vehicle is settled only by the manufacturer's own lookup.
When a record stops appearing in the source, this page is taken down the same day and the address returns a 410 response; no text is left behind. If you have an objection about a record, you can send it from the correction page.
Vehicles covered
Frequently asked
What does recall 21V537000 cover?
The record falls under suspension and covers vehicles from FORD in model years 2016–2017. The detail is in the official text on this page.
How do I know if my vehicle is included?
If make, model and model year match, your vehicle may be included; but the manufacturer usually covers a specific build date range. Only a VIN lookup gives a definite answer.
Is there a charge?
No. Recall work is free of charge and independent of warranty.
How soon should I have it done?
There is no reason to wait. If a part has to be ordered the dealer will give you a date; in the meantime follow the advisories shown on this page.
Why is the official text in English?
Because that is the record NHTSA published. It is not summarised, rewritten or interpreted; the rest of the page is in this language.