Ford Recalls 1.9M Explorers To Repair Problem With A-Pillar Trim Piece

Following closely on the heels of last year’s announcement that Ford had again led the industry in the number of vehicles recalled for the third straight year, Ford is once again embarking on its first 1-million-plus recall of 2024.

Two weeks ago, Torque News discussed Ford’s third dubious distinction award. For the third year, the automaker led the industry in the number of vehicles facing safety recalls.

Numbers Are Lower Than 2022

Of course, the number for 2023 is lower than for 2021 and 2022, but still, the automaker faced the prospect of having to recall millions of vehicles.

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It was both a problem and a blessing that Ford had to do another record number of recalls. On the plus side of the ledger, the fact that Ford recalled a record number of vehicles last year means that its customers are getting the best care possible as the automaker recalls vehicles at a record clip. On the downside, though, is also the fact that the automaker must recall record numbers of vehicles for the third straight year. As we noted at the time of our earlier story, it is both a problem and a blessing.

And now, the automaker faces a major recall of nearly 1.9 million late-model Ford Explorers.

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The problem is an A-pillar trim piece that can detach from the Explorer and become a hazard for other drivers. The automaker said some “clips attaching the trim to the exterior of the vehicle between the front windows and the windshield ‘are not properly engaged due to improper assembly or repair,’” the automaker said. Because they are not properly attached, the A-pillar trim piece can come “loose or fully detach,” the automaker told NPR last week.

Recall Is About 1.9 Million

Though Ford is recalling nearly 2 million 2011-2019 Explorers, a spokesperson for the carmaker says the company expects about 5 percent of the vehicles recalled to be affected by the problem.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) told Ford that the problem trim piece could “become a ‘road hazard’ and increase the risk of crashes. The safety agency made that statement in a letter discussing the problem with Ford. Ford, for its part, says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries relating to this issue.

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This is not a new problem. Indeed, the company said it had identified the problem with this part “as early as 2018 but determined at the time that it wasn’t an unreasonable safety risk due to the ‘low mass/geometry’ of the part,” the automaker said.

NHTSA Opened Probe In February

The NHTSA said it opened an investigation “into the issue last February.”

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Ford said it has received more than 14,000 warranty reports relating to missing or “detached A-pillar trim parts.”

Maria Buczkowski, the Ford spokesperson who commented on this issue, urged “owners to contact their local dealerships when replacement parts become available.”

Repairs Are Free Of Charge

As with any recall campaigns, technician inspections and parts replacements will be handled free of charge. The automaker expects to send owner notification letters out in March. Or owners can contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Further, owners can also contact the NHTSA’s Auto Safety Hotline or visit its website at www.nhtsa.gov.

NPR also noted that the Dearborn-based automaker issued recalls for 112,000 F-150 pickups earlier this month “over a faulty part that could cause parked pickups to roll away.” And still another 220,000 F-150s were “recalled last year over problems with their windshield wiper arms.”

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.