Ford Explorer Recall Issued Due to Defective Door Handles
Ford Motor Company is recalling an estimated 213,000 Explorer vehicles due to a risk of problems with the door handle design, which may allow the door to become unlatched during a side impact crash, potentially causing occupants to fall out of the vehicle.
The Ford Explorer recall was announced by the auto maker in a press release issued on March 25, indicating that an estimated 213,000 model year 2011 through 2013 SUV’s may have defective door handles.
According to Ford, the spring that controls the interior door handles may prevent doors from latching completely, which could result in the doors opening during a side-impact crash.
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Learn MoreThe recall includes certain Ford Explorer and Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles with 365-horsepower, 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 engines. The impacted vehicles were built at the Chicago Assembly Plant from February 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012, June 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012, and October 1, 2012 through November 30, 2012.
Ford announced that there are 194,484 of the recalled vehicles in the United States and its federalized territories and another 12,392 in Canada and 6,035 registered in Mexico.
Ford has not announced an official recall schedule at this time but plans to begin notifying owners immediately. Servicing of the recall will require owners to schedule an inspection at licensed Ford dealer who will inspect all four interior door handle assemblies and repair or replace the handles as necessary at no cost to the customers.
The Ford Explorer recall marks the third recall for door handle defects since 2014. Ford recalled over 200,000 Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and Police Interceptor vehicles for the same issue in January and over 692,000 Escape models in May for similar handle defects.
Additionally, Ford announced two separate recalls on March 25, to include 1,725 Lincoln MKT limo and hearse vehicles from model years 2013 to 2015 for a vacuum pump relay issue that has reportedly resulted in two fires, and another 6,472 F-Series Super Duty ambulance vehicles from model years 2011 to 2013 for faulty exhaust gas temperature sensors that may fail and incorrectly identify a high temperature condition in the vehicle.
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11 Comments
PeggyFebruary 20, 2022 at 3:50 am
I drive a 2015 explorer and while leaving work at 2 am I stopped at the gas station when getting back in my car the door wouldn’t shut , then got back out and the door handle came off in my hands.
DavidNovember 29, 2021 at 10:50 pm
My wife was at the Supermarket when she tried to open the driver side door on our 2013 Ford Explorer XLT when the complete driver side door handle just fell off preventing her to get into the vehicle. The remote unlocks the doors but you can't get in from the driver side, requiring her to climb over the center console to get on the driver side, NOT GOOD!!!!.
VictorMay 8, 2021 at 3:56 pm
I bring my car to for and complain many time they said bescuse 6he light don't stay on they not can duplicater .. I was out town when my wife calle said the handle door felt out we the cilindro
JamieApril 10, 2021 at 3:33 am
My stepdaughter fell asleep against the door and the door opened while driving on a highway which caused her to fall out of the vehicle.... Ford needs to figure our all these door issues or stop making vehicles....
SherryMarch 2, 2021 at 6:11 pm
My drivers side door handle just fell off .and I'm not very happy at all
ByronJuly 19, 2020 at 9:13 am
I have a 2013 4wd Ford explorer my door handles keep coming off and I can't open my doors. And sometimes I have hard time closing it too. So I say this is called a Recall right write back
KimJuly 7, 2020 at 5:46 pm
2011 Ford Explorer exterior drivers front handle, the whole handle just came off in my hands. How can Ford not pay for the repair?
LeeApril 13, 2020 at 3:10 pm
Exterior door handle driver's side just fell off. 2013 XLT
SummerJanuary 6, 2020 at 2:36 am
Same problem with our 2015 Explorer. Driver door handle fell off. Clearly design issue was not addressed with the recall.
JohnNovember 18, 2019 at 10:28 pm
Took in my 2014 explorer to ford. Door handle randomly fell off of driver side. Ford company refused to accept any responsibility for problem. Spent $5k on additional warranty. Also not covered. Over 213,000 ford models already recalled for same problem. Don't buy ford.
KatherineJune 12, 2019 at 9:43 am
Almost all my exterior door handles have broken.the springs in 3 handles on the inside have popped loose. I own a 1998 one owner Ford Explorer. The locking parts of the doors was defective from the get go, so was the AC . It was bought brand new from Butler Ford in milledgeville ga.. We tried to get these issues resolved but I always got the run around.