Filed by Ford Motor Company on August 22, 2025; 2 model-year listings affected.
Exterior lighting: tail lights
NHTSA campaign 25V543000 · reported August 22, 2025 · Ford Motor Company · 213,121 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles. When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- The risk
- Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles. For vehicles over 9,000 miles, dealers will perform a functional check on the body control module C and replace it as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Aviator 2025 owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2025. Explorer 2025 owner letters were mailed November 25, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C42.
Whether a particular car is included depends on its build date: check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.