2021 Lincoln Aviator High-Voltage Battery Recall (25V349)
Ford Motor Company · 8 vehicles · Reported May 23, 2025
Ford Motor Company is recalling 8 2021 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. 0L PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V626. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure. Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V349 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V349000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 25S58 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | May 23, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2021 Lincoln Aviator |
| Units affected | 8 |
| Component | Electrical System > Propulsion System > Traction Battery |
| Safety risk | Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Lincoln Aviator in recall 25V349?
0L PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V626.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with 3.0L PHEV engines that were repaired incorrectly under recall 23V626. A manufacturing defect in one or more of the high voltage battery cells may result in an internal short circuit and battery failure.
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Aviator with recall 25V349?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the traction battery.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V349?
Recall 25V349 covers 8 vehicles: 2021 Lincoln Aviator.
NHTSA lists 8 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Lincoln | Aviator |
What is the fix for the Aviator high-voltage battery recall?
Yes. Dealers will update the Battery Energy Control Module software, free of charge.
Dealers will update the Battery Energy Control Module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S58.
When was recall 25V349 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V349 to NHTSA on May 23, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as June 26, 2025.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| December 8, 2020 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| May 23, 2025 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V349000. |
| June 26, 2025 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 16 months ago. If your Aviator was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Aviator is part of recall 25V349?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V349 is open on your Aviator, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 25V349000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Aviator owners do about recall 25V349?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V349000 applies to your Aviator.
- Call a Lincoln dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the traction battery happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Aviator owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 12 of them about the ev and hybrid battery.
Since recall 25V349 was reported on May 23, 2025, owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the ev and hybrid battery on these vehicles. 1 of them (11%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the ev and hybrid battery and were received on or after May 23, 2025, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related ev and hybrid battery issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 39 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 12 of them involve the ev and hybrid battery. 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.
- 2021 Lincoln Aviator: 39 complaints in total, 12 about the ev and hybrid battery
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
My 2021 Lincoln Aviator PHEV lift gate safety stop does not function properly. It will come closing down extremely hard. This will happen when the button is pressed on the lift gate or the hands free feature is triggered.
2021 Lincoln Aviator owner, MI, NHTSA complaint 11683995, filed August 29, 2025
The "auto" mode on my Sync screen on my 2021 Lincoln Aviator does not always automatically switch between day and night based on ambient light levels. This is a blinding experience at night when the screen doesn't switch to night mode and the brightness is intense.
2021 Lincoln Aviator owner, MI, NHTSA complaint 11697487, filed November 4, 2025
For the first 39 months of my ownership my 2021 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in electric hybrid would not charge properly and resulted in thousands of charge station fault alerts.
2021 Lincoln Aviator owner, MI, NHTSA complaint 11697630, filed November 5, 2025
Can recall 25V349 make my Aviator 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 traction battery recall means their Aviator 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)).
High-voltage battery and drive system defects in EVs and hybrids can mean reduced range, charging faults, loss of drive power or a fire risk. These repairs often need parts on backorder, so days out of service add up quickly.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 23V626000.
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.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
Recall repairs depend on parts. Owners can wait days, weeks or months, usually about one to three months in our cases, and those days count toward California's 30-day out-of-service rule.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Aviator been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Lincoln Aviator recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V349
Did the recall 25V349 fix work?
Since recall 25V349 was reported on May 23, 2025, owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the ev and hybrid battery on these vehicles. 1 of them (11%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed June 26, 2025.
Is the 25V349000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Aviator is part of recall 25V349000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Can a battery recall reduce my EV's range?
Some battery recalls limit the state of charge or range until a module or pack is replaced. Check your owner letter for any interim limits, and keep notes if range or charging changes after the repair.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
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.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V349000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Lincoln. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.