Ford Motor Company: Trailer Hitches
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 10, 2025 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 1,412. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
The risk
While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
6 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ford Explorer | 44 | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026 Lincoln Aviator | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 Ford Explorer | 107 | 20 | 0 | 8 |
| 2025 Lincoln Aviator | 18 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 Ford Explorer | 21 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 Lincoln Aviator | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 25V687000.
Full record for the 2026 Ford Explorer → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →