2021 Ford Explorer seats & seat belts problems

Related recalls

• Recall 26V451000Jul 14, 2026387,911 vehicles
  SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.

  Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.

• Recall 26V159000Mar 17, 2026561 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.

  Risk: A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.

• Recall 25V393000Jun 13, 2025304,662 vehicles
  SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, folding, or sliding unexpectedly while driving.

  Risk: A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat switch, and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S67.

• Recall 25V093000Feb 14, 2025240,510 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. The seat belt buckle anchor bolts at one or more seating positions may be improperly secured. Additionally, vehicles may have an improperly secured seat belt retractor anchor bolt and/or seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped.

  Risk: A loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will inspect seat belt buckle anchor bolts in all seating positions. Additionally, dealers will inspect the seat belt retractor anchor bolt and seat belt anchor bolt at the second-row center seating position, if equipped. If loose anchor bolts are found, the affected seat components will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S09.

What owners say

1. Filed Oct 7, 2026GASeats & Seat BeltsTransmission & DrivetrainVisibility & Wipers

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 26V117000 (Visibility), 26V402000 (Power Train), and 26V451000 (Seats); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available.

   NHTSA complaint #11769594 · source
2. Filed Oct 3, 2026TN1 injuredSeats & Seat Belts

   About 3 months ago, every time I started the vehicle, I heard a whining noise coming from the 2nd row passenger seat that my [XXX] sits in with her car seat that We could not figure it out for awhile. I then took her car seat out of the car 2 weeks ago to clean underneath it and the seat automatically folded up with force. I jammed it back into the lock position and it would hold, sometimes for an hour or so and sometimes for a couple days before it started whining again and…

   NHTSA complaint #11768699 · source
3. Filed Sep 25, 2026119,000 miKSSeats & Seat Belts

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V451000 (SEATS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the rear…

   NHTSA complaint #11766889 · source
4. Filed Sep 15, 202660,000 miWASeats & Seat Belts

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the electronic seat back adjustment malfunctioned, causing the right side of the seat to rise while the left side failed to respond, resulting in extreme discomfort for the driver while operating the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was notified of the failure and offered the replacement part for purchase. The contact purchased the part to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified…

   NHTSA complaint #11764501 · source
5. Filed Jul 1, 202677,000 miGASeats & Seat Belts

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the rear seat unlocked and flipped forward independently. The contact stated that the failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V393000 (Seats); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

   NHTSA complaint #11747715 · source
6. Filed Apr 27, 202665,600 miFLSeats & Seat Belts

   The contact owned a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the seat belt on the passenger’s side failed to retract as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the seat belt components were replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V093000 (Seat Belts). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,600.

   NHTSA complaint #11733954 · source
7. Filed Apr 8, 2026TXSeats & Seat Belts

   The third-row seat headrest in my 2021 Ford Explorer is stuck in the upright position and will not fold down, preventing the seat from fully collapsing. This affects rear visibility and cargo use, which may create a safety concern while driving. The issue appears to be a mechanical failure and has not been resolved despite repeated attempts to adjust it.

   NHTSA complaint #11729928 · source
8. Filed Feb 18, 2026CASeats & Seat Belts

   The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V393000 (SEATS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

   NHTSA complaint #11718923 · source
9. Filed Sep 22, 2025MASeats & Seat Belts

   Passenger second row (Captain's) seat is loose, shakes (sometimes violently) and rattles loudly when vehicle is moving (and seat is unoccupied).

   NHTSA complaint #11688856 · source
10. Filed Aug 14, 202590,000 miKYDriver Assistance & Safety TechSeats & Seat Belts

    The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was blank. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V159000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V393000 (Seats). The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was…

    NHTSA complaint #11680757 · source
11. Filed Jul 20, 2025VAElectrical SystemEngineSeats & Seat Belts

    Recall Action Soon Issue Since 06-20-2025 Unrequested second-row seat movement For More Information Telematics Generated Issue

    NHTSA complaint #11674872 · source
12. Filed Jul 8, 202580,000 miMSSeats & Seat Belts

    The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V393000 (SEATS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear passenger’s seat moved forward unintendedly.…

    NHTSA complaint #11672046 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology