Ford Explorer owners may be surprised to learn that the component behind a series of recalls is not an engine part but a $5 plastic retention clip that can be easily replaced.
The automaker has issued three recalls for the fifth‑generation Explorer due to plastic pins that can detach, allowing various trim pieces—including the A‑ and B‑pillar trim and roof‑rail covers—to become loose, CarBuzz reported.
Widespread Recalls Sweep Ford Models Since 2020, With One Notable Exception
Ford Explorer vehicles at a dealership in Richmond, California, on April 16, 2025. Millions of Explorers have been recalled because of a simple plastic pin, according to reports. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Although inexpensive to replace, the defective pins have been the cause of more than two million recall notices issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In over 500,000 late‑model fifth‑generation Explorers, the retention pins could loosen and allow the roof‑rail covers to detach, creating a road‑hazard if pieces fall off the vehicle.
Ford Recalls Over 615,000 Vehicles for Wiper and Driveshaft Defects
FILE – Ford Motor Co. signage is displayed outside a dealership as the General Motors headquarters building stands in the distance in Detroit, Michigan, on April 1, 2013. (Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A January 2024 recall warned that the vehicle’s A‑pillar could pop loose and detach. Ford opted to inspect affected vehicles and replace the component.
In an earlier statement to FOX Business when the A‑pillar trim recall was first issued in early 2024, Ford estimated that only about 5% of the vehicle population would be affected.
Ford Motor Co. is recalling nearly 617,000 Explorer SUVs in the United States at regulators’ request because retention pins could loosen and allow roof‑rail covers to detach. (Photo by Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS via Getty Images)
The B‑pillar recall affected hundreds of thousands of Explorers in a May 2023 recall, where the exterior door trim could be lost while driving. Ford’s remedy involved a straightforward inspection and part replacement.
FOX Business has reached out to Ford for comment.
