2025 Ford Explorer Taillight Recall (25V543)

Recall 25V543 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2025 Ford Explorer in recall 25V543?

When towing a trailer, the tail lights on the trailer may fail to illuminate due to an improperly manufactured body control module.

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."

Is it safe to drive a 2025 Explorer with recall 25V543?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Explorer shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the tail lights, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V543?

Recall 25V543 covers 213,121 vehicles: 2025 Ford Explorer; 2025 Lincoln Aviator.

NHTSA lists 213,121 vehicles in this campaign, built November 29, 2023 to June 6, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Explorer taillight recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles.

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.

When was recall 25V543 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V543 to NHTSA on August 22, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as October 13, 2025.

This recall was filed 13 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 555 days. If your Explorer was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Explorer is part of recall 25V543?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V543 is open on your Explorer, it will be listed there.

The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2025 Explorer vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.

What should Explorer owners do about recall 25V543?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V543000 applies to your Explorer.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Ford dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the tail lights happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Explorer owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 7 of them about the lighting and visibility.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the lighting and visibility have been filed since recall 25V543 was reported (4) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 117 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 7 of them involve the lighting and visibility. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2025 Ford Explorer: 101 complaints in total, 5 about the lighting and visibility
• 2025 Lincoln Aviator: 16 complaints in total, 2 about the lighting and visibility

Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):

My vehicle originally showed more than 10 open safety recalls in the FordPass app and at the servicing dealer. I saved screenshots of each recall. After Ford performed a remote over-the-air software update, all but one recall suddenly disappeared from the app even though no physical repairs were done and no documentation was provided.

2025 Ford Explorer owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11703494, filed December 6, 2025

First, we took this vehicle to a dealer because the rear window buttons were not working. They wouldn't roll down.

2025 Ford Explorer owner, VA, NHTSA complaint 11709936, filed January 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the doors and windows. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired.

2025 Ford Explorer owner, NJ, NHTSA complaint 11646004, filed March 3, 2025

Can recall 25V543 make my Explorer a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Owners often ask whether this tail lights recall means their Explorer qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Lighting and visibility defects, such as headlights that fail, wipers that stop or mirrors that do not work, reduce your ability to see and be seen. They are often electrical, and they often come back.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2025 Ford Explorer has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 25V543