- Ford is recalling 288,314 Explorer SUVs because their roof rails may detach.
- Ford has previously repaired some affected vehicles.
- Technicians may have incorrectly fixed the affected vehicles as part of previous repair attempts.
Ford has issued its 57th recall of the year. This time, it is for 288,314 SUVs with roof rail covers that are detachable.
The recall affects certain 2016-2019 Explorer SUVs, some of which were previously repaired by Ford. The first vehicles fixed received “technician-sensitive” repairs, which basically blames the technician for incorrectly repairing the vehicles.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall reportIn some instances, technicians may not have replaced damaged retention clips, or they may have applied the wrong amount of epoxy/adhesive to the wrong places with improper curing conditions.
The recall also includes satin- and chrome-plated covers as well as painted Explorers. SUVs affected by this problem may experience increased wind noise, squeaks and rattles as the cover begins to loosen. A noticeable gap or misalignment may also appear between the cover and the ceiling.
Ford will instruct dealers to inspect the roof rail covers and replace any broken roof rail clips or damaged covers. If push-pin fasteners are not present, Ford dealers will add them. The automaker is aware of one alleged accident involving roof rail separation.
Photo by: Ford
The Recall Timeline
Ford first became aware of a potential problem in 2020, and began offering a one-time repair for loose roof rail covers under extended warranties. The warranty repair used a two-part epoxy/adhesive to secure the cover.
It was not an automaker until April 2021 issued a recall For certain 2016-2019 Explorer SUVs after NHTSA contacted Ford to discuss the matter. A review of updated field data revealed an increased rate of roof rail covers with loose and cracked paint, prompting Ford to approve a safety recall.
To fix the recall, Ford instructed dealers to repair the covers by replacing the damaged parts and securing them with four plastic push-pin fasteners. The original recall did not include tarnishing and chrome-plated covers because warranty data showed a “significantly lower rate of separation and loose/stunning claims”.
Projections indicate that the problem has no tendency to increase over time. The automaker also had data that showed these plated covers had “increased retention strength and were less sensitive to solar loading, which was a contributing factor to the loose/detached condition.”
In March 2026, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation notified Ford of 46 vehicle owner questionnaires alleging loose, rattling, and separation roof rails on 2016–2019 Explorers. This included vehicles that were repaired under extended warranties and recall fixes.
Ford launched an investigation, and between April and June, the automaker found that Explorers fixed with epoxy/adhesive or not repaired at all still experienced poor retention. The problem has not been seen in vehicles repaired with push-pin fasteners.
Motor1’s Opinion: Some of Ford’s latest recalls are for models that are several years old. The automaker’s recent focus on quality has led to a reappraisal of issues on older models like the last generation Ford Explorer.
