America’s best-selling brand has an unfortunate but warranted reputation for serious quality faux pas, and Ford recently announced it is recalling nearly 2 million Ford Explorers produced from 2011 to 2019 because the trim around the windshield can fly off and create a hazard for other motorists. The Ford Motor Company issued 56 recalls in 2023 — 11 more than the OEM with the next-highest number of recalls, Chrysler. Given that Ford already issued a recall covering some Ford Focus and Ford EcoSport models earlier this month, Ford is on track to continue its top recall streak for 2024.
The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued recall number 24V-031 on January 19, and describes the issue as,
Some of the exterior A-pillar applique trim clip attachments are not properly engaged due to improper assembly or repair. If this occurs, the A-pillar applique trim, which borders the right and left side of the windshield, may be loose, missing, or become detached. The customer may visually detect gaps around a loose A-pillar trim or detect an audible rattle and/or excessive wind noise from A-pillar area.
Ford launched its own investigation into this customer complaint in 2018, but determined “that this concern was not an unreasonable risk to safety due to the low mass/geometry of the part with NHTSA alignment.” Meaning Ford determined that the Explorer’s self-jettisoning trim panels didn’t pose a serious risk to safety since the parts were small and there were no accidents or injuries linked to this defect.
NHTSA launched its investigation into the complaints in February of 2023 since Ford didn’t do anything about the issue, and it determined that flying trim pieces do in fact pose a risk to other vehicles on the road, then issued a recall. Ford then reviewed the NHTSA report and approved field action.
Thankfully there are minimal risks associated with this recall, and the repairs are simple, requiring new parts be installed with additional adhesive to prevent them falling off again. Ford estimates that five percent of the vehicles included in this recall are affected by the faulty parts. Owners of affected vehicles should be receiving recall information in the mail in March. For more information about recalls on your vehicle, check the NHTSA recall website here.