23S55 – Rear Axle Bolt Fractures – 2020-2022 Ford Explorer

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Ó Copyright 2023 Ford Motor Company Stacy L. Balzer Ford Motor Company Operating Director P. O. Box 1904 Service Engineering Operations Dearborn, Michigan 48121 Ford Customer Service Division October 9, 2023 TO: All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Dealers SUBJECT: NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Advance Notice – Safety Recall 23S55 Certain 2020-2022 Model Year Explorer Vehicles Rear Axle Bolt Fractures REF: NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD – Customer Satisfaction Program 22N06 Dated: September 23, 2022 AFFECTED VEHICLES U.S. population of affected vehicles: 236,761. Affected vehicles are identified in OASIS and FSA VIN Lists. REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL In some of the affected vehicles, the rear axle bolt may fracture. A fractured rear axle bolt will allow the rear axle housing to move out of position, resulting in severe noise and vibration. If the rear axle bolt breaks, the driveshaft or half shafts may become disconnected, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels. Transmission torque is necessary to hold the vehicle in park and is also needed for the vehicle to move forward or backward. SERVICE ACTION DO NOT DEMONSTRATE OR DELIVER any new in-stock vehicles involved in this safety recall. A complete Dealer Bulletin will be provided to dealers the end of 2nd Quarter, 2024, when it is anticipated that parts ordering information, additional parts inventory and repair instructions will be available to support this safety recall. For new vehicle storage guidelines, refer to EFC13033, Storage Guidelines for New Vehicles. NOTE: Many of these vehicles are affected by Customer Satisfaction Program 22N06. The repair instructions for 22N06 should be followed if a rear axle bolt fractures before this program (23S55) launches. FSA 22N06 will remain active until this program launches with a complete dealer bulletin. Vehicle Model Year Assembly Plant Build Dates Explorer 2020 Chicago October 22, 2018 through September 27, 2020 2021 Chicago June 4, 2020 through November 10, 2021 2021 Chicago SHO Center September 14, 2020 through November 6, 2021 2022 Chicago June 29, 2021 through July 6, 2022 2022 Chicago SHO Center June 25, 2021 through May 20, 2022 Ó Copyright 2023 Ford Motor Company IMPORTANT: Dealers should open a Repair Order (RO) only when a full dealer bulletin is published. Opening an RO against an Awareness or Advance Notice will result in warranty rejections against a recall. CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION Owners of record will be notified via first-class mail after repair instructions and parts ordering information have been provided to dealers. PLEASE NOTE: Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee. Violation of this requirement by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $26,315 per vehicle. Correct all vehicles in your new vehicle inventory prior to delivery. DEALER-OPERATED RENTAL VEHICLES The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act law effective June 2016 prohibits a rental company from selling, renting or leasing vehicles subject to a safety or compliance recall. Please consult your legal counsel for legal advice. QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE For questions and assistance, contact the Special Service Support Center (SSSC) via the SSSC Web Contact Site. The SSSC Web Contact Site can be accessed through the Professional Technician System (PTS) website using the SSSC link listed at the bottom of the OASIS VIN report screen or listed under the SSSC tab. Sincerely, Stacy L. Balzer

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Manufacturer Name : Ford Motor Company Submission Date : OCT 06, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-675 Manufacturer Recall No. : 23S55 Manufacturer Information : Manufacturer Name : Ford Motor Company Address : 330 Town Center Drive Suite 500 Dearborn MI 48126-2738 Company phone : 1-866-436-7332 Population : Number of potentially involved : 238,364 Estimated percentage with defect : 100 % Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2020-2022 Ford Explorer Vehicle Type : LIGHT VEHICLES Body Style : ALL Power Train : NR Descriptive Information : Affected vehicles are equipped with rear axle bushing part number L1MW-4B425-BA and the following powertrains: 3.3L FHEV Police, 3.3L Gas Police, 3.0L Gas Police, 2.3L RWD, 3.0L PHEV, 3.3L FHEV, 3.0L ST. Ford’s team reviewed plant records to determine the population of affected vehicles. The Ford process is capable of tracing the rear axle bushing part number to the vehicle in which the bushing is installed. These vehicles are not produced in VIN order. Information as to the applicability of this action to specific vehicles can best be obtained by either calling Ford’s toll-free line (1-866-436-7332) or by contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer who can obtain specific information regarding the vehicles from the Ford On-line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS) database. Production Dates : OCT 22, 2018 – JUL 06, 2022 VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 Page 2 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Description of Defect : Description of the Defect : Affected vehicles were built with a 3-point mounted axle design. On some units the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture. Powertrain torque through the driveline causes axle rotation of the pinion angled towards the subframe, which exerts a bending force on the rear axle bolt. Peak torque is normally experienced during a launch event. After numerous peak torque events are experienced, the bolt may suffer a fatigue failure, which will lead to the axle housing moving out of position, resulting in a condition described by customers and dealer technicians variably as loud, grinding, binding, or clunking noises. FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR Description of the Safety Risk : A fractured rear axle bolt will allow the rear axle housing to move out of position, resulting in severe noise and vibration. If the rear axle bolt breaks, the driveshaft or halfshafts may become disconnected, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels. Transmission torque is necessary to hold the vehicle in park and is also needed for the vehicle to move forward or backward. The loss of the primary park torque will allow the vehicle to roll in park if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of crash and injury. Description of the Cause : The joint design is not robust to peak axle input torques and manufacturing variability. The primary contributor is insufficient bearing area for maximum joint loads. This results in bearing area deformation, increasing bending stress on the bolt, which may lead to a fatigue failure. Identification of Any Warning that can Occur : N/A Involved Components : Component Name 1 : Bushing Component Description : Bushing Component Part Number : L1MW-4B425-BA Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer Name : Hutchinson Address : 460 Fuller Av. Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 Page 3 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 Country : United States Chronology : Chronology is provided as an attachment. Description of Remedy : Description of Remedy Program : Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their subframe bushing and rear axle bolt replaced. The dealer will also inspect the rear axle cover for damage around the bolt hole location and replace the cover if any damage is found. There will be no charge for this service. Ford provided the general reimbursement plan for the cost of remedies paid for by vehicle owners prior to notification of a safety recall in May 2023. The ending date for reimbursement eligibility is estimated to be November 24, 2023. Ford will forward a copy of the notification letters to dealers to the agency when available. How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component : The remedy bushing (part number L1MW-4B425-BB) has been modified to increase the fastener engagement length in order to avoid material deformation. Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : NR Recall Schedule : Description of Recall Schedule : Notification to dealers is expected to occur on October 9, 2023. Mailing of owner notification letters is expected to begin November 6, 2023, and is expected to be completed by November 10, 2023. Planned Dealer Notification Date : OCT 09, 2023 – OCT 09, 2023 Planned Owner Notification Date : NOV 06, 2023 – NOV 10, 2023 * NR – Not Reported

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Manufacturer Name : Ford Motor Company Submission Date : OCT 13, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-675 Manufacturer Recall No. : 23S55 Manufacturer Information : Manufacturer Name : Ford Motor Company Address : 330 Town Center Drive Suite 500 Dearborn MI 48126-2738 Company phone : 1-866-436-7332 Population : Number of potentially involved : 238,364 Estimated percentage with defect : 100 % Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2020-2022 Ford Explorer Vehicle Type : LIGHT VEHICLES Body Style : ALL Power Train : NR Descriptive Information : Affected vehicles are equipped with rear axle bushing part number L1MW-4B425-BA and the following powertrains: 3.3L FHEV Police, 3.3L Gas Police, 3.0L Gas Police, 2.3L RWD, 3.0L PHEV, 3.3L FHEV, 3.0L ST. Ford’s team reviewed plant records to determine the population of affected vehicles. The Ford process is capable of tracing the rear axle bushing part number to the vehicle in which the bushing is installed. These vehicles are not produced in VIN order. Information as to the applicability of this action to specific vehicles can best be obtained by either calling Ford’s toll-free line (1-866-436-7332) or by contacting a local Ford or Lincoln dealer who can obtain specific information regarding the vehicles from the Ford On-line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS) database. Production Dates : OCT 22, 2018 – JUL 06, 2022 VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 Page 2 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Description of Defect : Description of the Defect : Affected vehicles were built with a 3-point mounted axle design. On some units the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture. Powertrain torque through the driveline causes axle rotation of the pinion angled towards the subframe, which exerts a bending force on the rear axle bolt. Peak torque is normally experienced during a launch event. After numerous peak torque events are experienced, the bolt may suffer a fatigue failure, which will lead to the axle housing moving out of position, resulting in a condition described by customers and dealer technicians variably as loud, grinding, binding, or clunking noises. FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR Description of the Safety Risk : A fractured rear axle bolt will allow the rear axle housing to move out of position, resulting in severe noise and vibration. If the rear axle bolt breaks, the driveshaft or halfshafts may become disconnected, resulting in loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels. Transmission torque is necessary to hold the vehicle in park and is also needed for the vehicle to move forward or backward. Loss of the vehicle’s forward power increases the risk of crash and injury. The loss of the primary park torque will allow the vehicle to roll in park if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of crash and injury. Description of the Cause : The joint design is not robust to peak axle input torques and manufacturing variability. The primary contributor is insufficient bearing area for maximum joint loads. This results in bearing area deformation, increasing bending stress on the bolt, which may lead to a fatigue failure. Identification of Any Warning that can Occur : N/A Involved Components : Component Name 1 : Bushing Component Description : Bushing Component Part Number : L1MW-4B425-BA Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer Name : Hutchinson Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-675 Page 3 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Address : 460 Fuller Av. Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 Country : United States Chronology : Chronology is provided as an attachment. Description of Remedy : Description of Remedy Program : Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their subframe bushing and rear axle bolt replaced. The dealer will also inspect the rear axle cover for damage around the bolt hole location and replace the cover if any damage is found. There will be no charge for this service. Ford provided the general reimbursement plan for the cost of remedies paid for by vehicle owners prior to notification of a safety recall in May 2023. The ending date for reimbursement eligibility is estimated to be November 24, 2023. Ford will forward a copy of the notification letters to dealers to the agency when available. How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component : The remedy bushing (part number L1MW-4B425-BB) has been modified to increase the fastener engagement length in order to avoid material deformation. Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : NR Recall Schedule : Description of Recall Schedule : Notification to dealers is expected to occur on October 9, 2023. Mailing of owner notification letters is expected to begin November 6, 2023, and is expected to be completed by November 10, 2023. Planned Dealer Notification Date : OCT 09, 2023 – OCT 09, 2023 Planned Owner Notification Date : NOV 06, 2023 – NOV 10, 2023 * NR – Not Reported

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