My 2021 Ford Explorer is subject to safety recall 26S14/the federal safety agency 26V117. Ford announced this recall in March 2026, but as of November 3, 2026, Ford still identifies the remedy as unavailable. Authorized dealers cannot inspect, repair, or close the recall. The unresolved recall prevents lawful use of the vehicle on a car-sharing platform and leaves me paying for a vehicle that cannot be used for its intended purpose. Ford previously projected earlier remedy dates, which have been delayed. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review whether Ford is administering this recall within a reasonable timeframe and require Ford to provide a firm remedy schedule.
2021 Ford Explorer visibility problems
51 complaints (11% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 55,401.
- owner complaints
- 51
- of this car's complaints
- 11%
- typical mileage
- 55,401
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Sun/moon roof assembly3
- Windshield2
- Windshield wiper/washer1
- Power window devices and controls1
- Glass, side/rear: critical fasteners1
- Glass, side/rear1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Ford Explorer visibility problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Ford Explorer visibility
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly.
- Risk
- Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on March 4, 2026.
Recall number 26V117000 · Recall details
What 2021 Ford Explorer owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Here's the updated submission, without the engine paragraph. **Form fields** - **VIN:** 1FM5K8GC7MGA77908 - **Incident date:** today's date - **Crash / fire / injury:** No - **Components:** Visibility (Windshield Wiper/Washer), Power Train (Automatic Transmission), Seats **Narrative** ``` I am filing because my 2021 Ford Explorer (VIN 1FM5K8GC7MGA77908) has three open safety recalls with no remedy available, and Ford has already missed its own remedy date on at least one. 1. the federal safety agency 26V117 / Ford 26S14 (filed Mar 3, 2026) – Front windshield wiper motor may become inoperative or operate intermittently, causing loss of visibility. Ford stated the remedy was anticipated in Q2 2026. As of November 2, 2026, the remedy is still listed as not available. 2. the federal safety agency 26V402 / Ford 26S48 (filed Jun 24, 2026) – Transmission may engage Park while the vehicle is moving, damaging the parking system so the vehicle could roll away while in Park. Ford's interim instruction is to always set the parking brake. The remedy is not anticipated until Q2 2027, leaving a roll-away risk unaddressed for roughly a year. 3. the federal safety agency 26V451 / Ford 26S52 (filed Jul 14, 2026) – Second-row easy-entry seat switch may stick, allowing the seat to tip or slide while driving. Remedy is listed as not yet available. I request that the federal safety agency require Ford to provide interim remedies or loaner vehicles for these open recalls and to commit to firm remedy dates. ENGINE: My vehicle has the 3.0L engine and was built in Chicago on January 16, 2021, before the June 7, 2021 start of the recall 24S55 (the federal safety agency 24V635) build range. I request that the federal safety agency confirm Ford's analysis supports excluding earlier 3.0L builds from the valve fracture population. ``` If you'd rather keep the engine question in, paste the short "ENGINE:" paragraph from my last message above the final request line. Save the confirmation number when you submit.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (VISIBILITY); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
They have fixed zero recalls. I have no wipers at all. I’ve attempted to get a resolution multiple times with no care or concern nor resolution. This is ridiculous. A recall almost 8 months and people have zero wipers!!! And the engine recall. It’s going to blow up before it’s fixed!
Never really used sun roof , but accidentally hit button to open … then closed….. not realizing that the cover didn’t close it SAG down behind my head… blocking rear view completely. It was dark out and had to pull over and try to fix so I could see out my rear window
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving in rainy conditions, windshield visibility remained poor despite replacing the wiper blades multiple times. The contact received notification for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V117000 (Visibility); however, the part required to perform the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the recall remedy. The failure mileage was 83,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 26V117000 (Visibility), 26V402000 (Power Train), and 26V451000 (Seats); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available.
Since buying the vehicle the front windshield wipers will intermittently stop working during a rainstorm causing me to have pull over and either wait out the rain or getting out in the rain to wipe the windshield. Sometimes if I turn the vehicle off for a few minutes the windshield wipers will start working again. If I had not pulled over during these times I could have been in a severe accident. Yes the vehicle has been inspected and they said there was no remedy for it as of now. No warning lights have came on.
The fabric sunshade covering the panoramic roof sags or comes right off the track creating a visibility/safety issue in the rear window. The dealership is aware and has verified the defect.
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of water in the front passenger's side footwell. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed windshield power panel. The contact was informed that the windshield power panel needed to be replaced. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall associated with the failure. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 33,700.
Questions about the 2021 Ford Explorer visibility
Does the 2021 Ford Explorer have visibility problems?
Owners have filed 51 complaints about the visibility of the 2021 Ford Explorer, 11% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2021 Ford Explorer visibility problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 55,401 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Ford Explorer visibility?
Yes, 1 recall: 26V117000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2021 Ford Explorer problems
Transmission 128Engine 60Driver assistance 56Electrical 48Fuel system 28Body 25Brakes 25Seats 18Acceleration 15Suspension 15Lights 8Steering 7Airbags 6Wheels 5Seat belts 3Tires 2Locks 1
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