Ford Explorer lemon law in California: rear axle bolt, camera and other 2020+ recalls

If you own a 2020-or-later Ford Explorer, you may have a stack of recall letters, some of them for the same part. Several Explorer campaigns have been reissued because an earlier fix did not hold or was done incorrectly. For an owner whose Explorer keeps going back to the dealer, the Ford Explorer lemon law question is whether those visits add up to a claim under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, which can require Ford to repurchase or replace a vehicle it cannot fix after a reasonable number of attempts.

This guide covers the sixth-generation Explorer (2020 on) and, where the recalls overlap, the Lincoln Aviator. It lists documented recalls with NHTSA campaign numbers, reported lawsuits, and what to ask the dealer to write down. For Ford in general, see our Ford lemon law guide. This is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice, and it does not suggest every Explorer is defective.

The rear axle bolt recalls

The best-known 2020–2022 Explorer problem is the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt. NHTSA's records say the bolt may fracture and let the driveshaft disconnect, which "can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied." Ford has addressed it in four campaigns.

NHTSA opened its recall query in 2023 after owners whose Explorers had already received the earlier remedy reported fractured bolts. At that time NHTSA wrote that "there is no safety remedy addressing the failed rear axle horizontal mounting bolt," CarComplaints reported; the later 23V-675 remedy replaces the bolt itself.

A proposed class action, Collier v. Ford Motor Company in federal court in Washington, alleged that the 2022 and 2023 recalls "did nothing to prevent the bolts from breaking." The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed it in March 2025, CarComplaints reported, without a ruling on the merits. The same report says Ford had told dealers, in a special service message, to replace subframes, differential covers and other damaged parts on 2020–2022 Explorers with broken bolts. If your dealer did that work, keep the invoice.

The rear camera and 360-degree camera recalls

Explorers and Aviators with the 360-degree camera have been through a chain of recalls for a rearview image that can fail or go blank.

• 21V-735 (September 2021): 2020–2021 Explorer and Aviator; camera module software update.
• 23V-022 (January 2023): expanded to 2020–2023 models; another software update.
• 23V-342 (May 2023): replaced 23V-022; dealers replace the 360-degree camera.
• 25V-159 (March 2025): vehicles repaired incorrectly under 23V-342; software update.
• 26V-123 (March 2026): 2020–2024 Explorer and Aviator, among others; the center display may flip or invert the rearview image.

Separate campaigns cover the standard rearview camera on 2020 Explorers (20V-575, expanded by 24V-188) and a camera software error across many 2020–2024 Ford models (25V-442). A proposed class action, Dorfman v. Ford Motor Company, filed in federal court in Michigan in 2023, alleges the camera recalls did not stop the failures, according to CarComplaints. Those are allegations, and we have not found a reported ruling or settlement. For camera and screen problems generally, see our guide to electrical and infotainment problems.

Other 2020+ Explorer recalls

NHTSA lists more than 30 recalls that include 2020 Explorers. These are among the ones most likely to matter to a lemon law claim, because they involve drive power, braking, restraints or fire risk:

• Driveshaft: 20V-693, 2020 Explorer and Aviator with all-wheel drive; the driveshaft may fracture at the weld seam.
• Transmission park system: 23V-069, 2020–2022 Explorer with the 2.3L and 10R60 transmission; a module reset can damage the park system. And 26V-402, 2020–2021 Explorer and Aviator among others; the park pawl may engage while moving, with a final remedy expected in April 2027. Our Ford 10-speed transmission guide covers shifting complaints.
• Plug-in hybrid battery: 23V-626, 2020–2022 Explorer and Aviator plug-in hybrids; a cell defect may cause an internal short and battery failure. Dealers run a diagnostic and replace the pack as needed.
• Seat belts: 25V-093, 2020–2021 Explorer and Aviator, buckle and retractor anchor bolts; and 26V-159, 2020–2026 Explorer and Aviator, second-row anchor bolts.
• Second-row seat movement: 25V-393, expanded by 26V-451; the easy-entry seat switch may stick and move the seat unexpectedly.
• Wipers: 26V-117, 2020–2022 Explorer and others; the front wiper motor may fail.
• Engine: 24V-635, 2021–2022 vehicles with the 2.7L or 3.0L EcoBoost, including Explorer; intake valves may break.

Recall lists change. Our recall and complaint lookup tool pulls current NHTSA data for your model year, and you can check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Do repeat recalls make my Explorer a lemon?

Not automatically. A recall is about a group of vehicles. A lemon law claim is about yours: a warranty defect that substantially impairs use, value or safety, and a manufacturer that had a reasonable chance to fix it and did not. But the Explorer recall history helps owners in three ways.

• A recall visit can be a repair attempt. If your Explorer went in under 22V-255 and came back under 23V-675 for the same axle bolt, that is two chances Ford had to fix the same problem.
• A reissued recall is evidence the first fix did not work. Campaigns like 23V-199, 25V-166 and 25V-159 exist because earlier repairs were incomplete or done incorrectly.
• The recall record describes the risk in Ford's words. Loss of drive power, rollaway and a missing rear image each "increase the risk of a crash," according to the NHTSA records.

Within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, Civil Code § 1793.22(b) presumes a reasonable number of attempts after two repairs for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four repairs for the same defect (with direct notice to the manufacturer in both cases, if the warranty clearly requires it), or more than 30 days out of service in total. Most 2020–2022 Explorers are past 18 months now, which means the presumption no longer applies, not that the claim is gone. Our guide on how many repair attempts the lemon law requires explains how claims succeed outside it. A broken axle bolt or a failed rear camera may also qualify as a safety defect; see our guide to safety defects and the lemon law.

What to ask the dealer to write on the repair order

• Your symptom, in the same words each time: "clunk from rear and loss of power," "vehicle rolled in Park," "rear camera screen blank in reverse."
• The recall or service message number the dealer performed, and whether it was the first or a repeat remedy.
• Parts replaced, especially the bolt, subframe bushing, axle cover, camera or module.
• "Could not duplicate," if that is the finding, with your complaint still recorded.
• Dates and mileage in and out, any tow, and whether you got a loaner.

Photograph dashboard warnings and a blank camera screen when it happens. A photo with a date stamp shows the problem the dealer may not see.

Ford's dispute program and next steps

Ford participates in BBB AUTO LINE, which the Department of Consumer Affairs lists as a state-certified program for Ford and Lincoln as of June 2025. If Ford gave you proper written notice of it, you generally must use it before relying on the 18-month presumption (Civil Code § 1793.22(c)). You can still sue without it, and you are not bound by a decision you reject.

1. Get every open recall done, and go back each time the problem returns.
2. Open a case with Ford and record the case number. NHTSA's recall records list Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
3. Do not trade in the Explorer or sign a goodwill release without a review.
4. Do not send Ford a lemon law demand letter on your own. Ford has been reported among manufacturers that opted in to California's 2025 procedures, which require a specific pre-suit notice before you can seek civil penalties.

What you can recover and the deadlines

A repurchase generally covers what you paid or owe, including taxes, registration and finance charges, plus incidental costs such as towing and rentals, minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect (Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2)). If Ford willfully failed to comply, a court can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages, and a buyer who wins recovers attorney's fees and costs (Civil Code § 1794). For opted-in manufacturers, a lawsuit generally must be filed within one year after the warranty expires and no later than six years after delivery. Confirm current status on the Department of Consumer Affairs list.

How LaCour handles Ford Explorer claims

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims statewide, in English and Spanish, with trial counsel leading each case. When a claim succeeds, the law requires the manufacturer to pay the buyer's attorney's fees and costs. Send us your recall letters and repair orders for a free, confidential review.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.