2025 Ford Explorer Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 23 Electrical System complaints for the 2025 Ford Explorer, 23% of its 100 total complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 3,500 miles. Three related electrical recalls have been filed, covering the image processing module, headlight control software, and a body control module.
- Electrical System complaints
- 23
- 23% of 100
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 3,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster intermittently go blank or reboot while driving, sometimes recurring every few minutes.
- Automatic emergency braking activates unexpectedly on the highway with no obstacle present, triggered by a false detection.
- Cruise control combined with speed-limit recognition has caused unintended acceleration up to 70 MPH despite a much lower posted limit.
- Gateway module failure has blocked completion of other safety recalls, leaving vehicles with unrepaired open campaigns for months.
- Rear window switches and interior dome lamps work intermittently, with dealers unable to duplicate the fault during inspection.
- Owners report recall status disappearing from the FordPass app after an over-the-air update even though no physical repair was documented.
When 2025 Ford Explorer electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 4, 2025, latest Sep 18, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2025 Ford Explorer
- NHTSA 26V165000Mar 18, 2026Electrical System254,640 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Electrical system:adas
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The Image Processing Module A (IPMA) may experience multiple unexpected resets, resulting in loss of the rearview camera image and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features, including pre-collision assist, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring.
Risk: Loss of the rearview camera image and certain driver assistance features, can reduce the driverâs ability to detect hazards, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Image Processing Module A software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. This is a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 Aviator, 2025 Explorer, 2025 Nautilus notified owners on 4/13/2026. Phase 2 will include 2025 Navigator will notify owners on or about 4/20/2026. Phase 3 will include 2022-2024 Navigator will notify owners on or about 6/8/2026. Phase 4 will include 2024 Nautilus will notify owners on or about 6/22/2026. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S21. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 25, 2026.
- NHTSA 26V121000Mar 3, 2026Electrical System35,772 vehiclesOver-the-air fix
Exterior lighting:headlights
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
- NHTSA 25V543000Aug 22, 2025Electrical System213,121 vehicles
Exterior lighting:tail lights
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."
Risk: Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Electrical System complaints by Explorer model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many electrical complaints does the 2025 Ford Explorer have?
- NHTSA lists 23 Electrical System complaints for the 2025 Explorer, which is 23% of the 100 total complaints filed for the model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2025 Ford Explorer's electrical system?
- Yes, three: campaign 26V165000 for the Image Processing Module A software, 26V121000 for the Dynamic Bending Light headlight software, and 25V543000 for a body control module affecting trailer tail lights.
- At what mileage do electrical problems appear on the 2025 Explorer?
- NHTSA's data shows a median mileage of 3,500 miles at the time these electrical failures were reported, indicating the issues surface early in ownership.
- Have the 2025 Explorer's electrical issues caused any crashes or fires?
- NHTSA records one crash and zero fires linked to Electrical System complaints for the 2025 Explorer, out of 23 complaints in this area.
- How does the 2025 Explorer compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2025 model's 23% share of complaints tied to the electrical system is higher than most other Explorer years, though 2020 recorded more complaints overall (230) at a 19% share.