Suspension: rear (Ford)
Vehicle recall 21V-746. NHTSA received Ford Motor Company’s report on Sep 22, 2021.
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The short answer
NHTSA received Ford Motor Company’s report on Sep 22, 2021. Copied from NHTSA on Oct 20, 2026.
Every line below is in NHTSA’s own words, with its source beside it.
What’s wrong with it?
A rear toe link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Explorer vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
These vehicles may be equipped with a cross-axis ball joint (CABJ) replacement part that could seize, and result in a fracture of the outboard section of the rear suspension toe link.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- NHTSA’s part: Suspension: rear.
What should you do?
Dealer will inspect for the presence of a CABJ. If a CABJ of any design is found, the dealer will inspect the tightness of the CABJ, and replace the CABJ, knuckle, and/or toe link as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters were mailed November 10, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 21S43.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- How to reach the firm: 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.
- Check a vehicle by its VIN at NHTSA: the recalls still open on it are listed there.
Which ones are recalled?
NHTSA counts 150,723 vehicles potentially involved, across everything this recall names.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
- Ford Explorerand 2011, 2012 and 2013, before the model years listed here
Who is recalling it?
- Made by Ford Motor Company.
NHTSA, Recalls flat file. Released Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily.
What the record doesn’t say
- NHTSA’s recall file doesn’t say whether anyone was hurt.
- Whether one vehicle or seat has been fixed: only its maker, or NHTSA’s lookup with a VIN, can say.
- This recall names only model years before 2015, which have no pages here. Your VIN, at NHTSA, says which recalls are open on a vehicle.
- How many have been returned or fixed isn’t in the notice.
Hearth Record wrote these lines.
Sources
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Recalls flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010).
Released Oct 20, 2026 and checked Oct 20, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work).
Vehicle, car seat, tire and vehicle equipment recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Copied on Oct 20, 2026.