Ford Recalls The 2020–2025 Lincoln Aviator For Exterior Trim Falling Off

Ford, which has already issued more than 80 recalls so far this year, posted yet another last week. That said, the subject isn’t quite as dire as the Mustang Mach-E recall for doors that may not open in the event of a low-voltage battery failure or F-150s that could lose steering control. Rather, the automaker needs to recall more than 130,000 Lincoln Aviator SUVs made between 2020 and 2025 for exterior trim that could become loose and detach from the car while driving.

Watch Out For Flying Plastic

NHTSA received a notification from Ford on June 13 that it would be recalling 132,914 Lincoln Aviator SUVs because the black plastic trim affixed to the rear door, adjoining the C-pillar, could peel up or detach from the car while it was in motion, potentially posing a risk to other motorists. The issue can be traced back to a part built by Cooper Standard Automotive, one of Ford’s tier-one automotive suppliers, which built the C-pillar trim at a facility in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The problematic C-pillar trim entered production in late 2018 and was taken out in May, when Ford discovered that inadequate pressure was used to ensure the adhesive backing on the trim pieces would effectively fasten them to the car.

Since Ford relies on multiple suppliers for body parts and trim, the issue doesn’t universally apply to every Aviator built in that time period. In fact, it may not even correspond to every vehicle in a given VIN sequence. Ford and Lincoln will therefore begin notifying specific owners to whom the recall applies starting July 28, 2025. Dealers will repair affected Aviators for free by permanently fixing a revised C-pillar trim piece to the car. As one might expect, Ford will not recommend that owners stop driving their vehicles – it’s a seemingly minor issue, after all.

Related

Hundreds Of Thousands Of Ford SUVs Have A Serious Safety Fault

Ford is recalling nearly 274,000 of its large SUVs due to a risk of front brake line damage that could affect stopping power.

The Former Recall Champ Seems To Want Its Crown Back

Ford, which led the industry for recalls in 2023 and then took second to Stellantis in 2024, is poised to return to the top of the somewhat undesirable podium for 2025. The automaker leads the industry so far this year in number of recalls issued, which totaled 81 as of yesterday. And as mentioned at the beginning, some of the campaigns pertained to serious safety issues, rather than minor inconveniences or cosmetic flaws as in the case of the Aviator recall.

Despite the rapid pace of recalls this year, Ford’s quality control is actually improving thanks to AI inspection and an executive-level shakeup in December. CEO Jim Farley says he regrets not tackling the issue sooner, especially now that so many chickens have come home to roost in terms of vehicles built before the company’s newfound emphasis on improved engineering and production methods. In total, the company has recalled well over a million units, many of them part of a series of rear camera issues that have plagued almost every car in the lineup.

Source: NHTSA