2025 Ford Explorer & Lincoln Aviator Exterior Lighting Recall 25V543000 (Ford 25C42)

NHTSA recall 25V543000 (Ford recall 25C42) covers about 213,121 2025 Ford Explorer & Lincoln Aviator vehicles (exterior lighting), filed with NHTSA Aug 22, 2025. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside advisory.

Source: NHTSA campaign 25V543000 · Data as of Nov 6, 2026 · By CarWhere Research

213,121
vehicles affected (potential)
2025
model years
Aug 22, 2025
filed with NHTSA
None
NHTSA advisory

What's recalled

Component: 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."

The risk

Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy and its status

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.

Status: NHTSA lists Oct 13, 2025 as the owner-notification date for this campaign.

Ford recall number 25C42

NHTSA lists the manufacturer's own recall number for 25V543000 as 25C42. Owner letters and dealer service departments often use this code, so a search for "25C42 recall" refers to the same campaign.

Affected models and years

Models and model years NHTSA lists for this campaign. Not every vehicle of a listed model and year is included; check by VIN.

VehicleModel yearsMore
Ford Explorer2025All Explorer recallsYears to avoid
Lincoln Aviator2025All Aviator recallsYears to avoid

Key dates

Report filed with NHTSA
Aug 22, 2025
Owner notification
Oct 13, 2025
Build dates covered
Nov 29, 2023 to Jun 6, 2025
Recall initiated by
the manufacturer
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Safety standard (FMVSS)
108

Check your VIN for 25V543000

  1. Find the 17-character VIN on the driver-side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the door-jamb sticker, or your registration.
  2. Enter it in NHTSA's free VIN recall lookup. It shows every open recall on that exact vehicle, including this one if it applies and hasn't been repaired.
  3. If 25V543000 is open, call any Ford dealer's service department and give them the recall number (25V543000 or 25C42). The repair is free.

Not sure of the exact model or year? Decode it first with the free VIN decoder.

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 25V543000?

NHTSA recall 25V543000 (Ford recall 25C42) covers about 213,121 2025 Ford Explorer & Lincoln Aviator vehicles (exterior lighting), filed with NHTSA Aug 22, 2025. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. It covers certain 2025 Explorer and Aviator vehicles.

Is it safe to drive a vehicle with recall 25V543000?

NHTSA's record for 25V543000 carries no do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. The risk NHTSA lists is: "Trailer tail lights that do not illuminate as intended can reduce visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash." Get the free repair as soon as it is available for your vehicle.

How do I know if my vehicle is affected by 25V543000?

Only a VIN lookup can tell you. Not every vehicle of the listed models and years is included, and repaired vehicles drop off. Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's free recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Ford dealer to check it.

What is the fix for recall 25V543000, and is it free?

NHTSA's record says: "Dealers will replace the body control module C on vehicles with less than 9,000 miles." NHTSA lists Oct 13, 2025 as the owner-notification date for this campaign. Safety-recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.

What is the Ford recall number for 25V543000?

NHTSA lists the manufacturer's own recall number as 25C42. Dealers and owner letters often use that code (25C42) instead of the NHTSA campaign number 25V543000.

Sources and method

  • NHTSA recall record for 25V543000, from NHTSA's public recall campaign database. Problem, risk and remedy text is NHTSA's own wording.
  • "Vehicles affected" is NHTSA's potential-units-affected count for the whole campaign.
  • Data as of Nov 6, 2026. NHTSA updates campaigns as manufacturers file amendments, so check the official record for the latest.

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