Vehicle recall 21V652000 · August 23, 2021
Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer
The side air bag attachment weld studs could detach during the deployment of the side air bag, resulting in an improper deployment.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag attachment weld studs could detach during the deployment of the side air bag, resulting in an improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 214, "Side Impact Protection".
- Consequence
- Improper deployment of a side air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the side air bag assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C19.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 21V652000
- Reported to NHTSA
- August 23, 2021
- Filed by
- Ford Motor Company
- Manufacturer campaign
- 21C19
- Owner notification
- September 10, 2021
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 592
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Air bags › Side/window › Curtain; Air bags › Critical fasteners
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Explorer (2021): 2021
- Lincoln Aviator (2021): 2021
Has your Ford been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.