NHTSA safety recall
Recall 25V543000: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
Ford Motor Company · Reported to NHTSA Aug 22, 2025
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govWhat this recall covers
NHTSA's campaign record, quoted as published
The defect
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."
The risk
Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
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.
A safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
Campaign details
Identifiers and dates as filed with NHTSA
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Manufacturer's campaign number
- 25C42
- NHTSA campaign number
- 25V543000
- Units potentially affected
- 213,121
- Report received
- Aug 22, 2025
- Production range
- Nov 29, 2023 – Jun 6, 2025
- Campaign type
- Vehicle
- Federal safety standard (FMVSS)
- 108
Vehicles covered
2 model years across 2 models
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.