“You don’t miss your water ‘til your well runs dry.” May that sentiment not apply to towing an RV with a big SUV and you find your brake fluid is gone. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Navigator and Expedition vehicles.
The front brake lines may contact the engine air cleaner outlet pipe and become damaged, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak and a loss of front brake function. A loss of brake function increases the risk of a crash.
Potentially 273,789 rigs are affected by this Ford SUV brake recall.
Ford SUV brake recall remedy
Dealers will inspect the front brake line and replace the brake line or air cleaner outlet pipe, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 25S47.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to nhtsa.gov.
How could this happen?
In late February 2025, Ford noticed a rise in warranty claims related to brake problems in 2022 Lincoln Navigators. This raised a red flag and prompted a closer investigation.
Between March and April 2025, Ford looked into how these vehicles were being built at its Kentucky Truck Plant. They discovered that the way radiator hoses were stored during engine installation may have been causing problems.
Before November 20, 2024, the hose could accidentally catch on a front brake line during assembly, which might bend the brake line. If bent, the brake line could end up rubbing against other engine parts, which could eventually cause it to leak.
After November 20, Ford changed the process to prevent this from happening. But vehicles built before that date—especially 2022 Expeditions and Navigators—might still have this issue due to the older assembly method and a new brake line design introduced that model year.
How widespread is the Ford SUV brake recall problem?
As of April 17, 2025, Ford is aware of 45 warranty reports of a front brake line leak received between November 4, 2022 and April 8, 2024. Additionally, Ford is aware of two field reports received on August 4, 2022, and April 10, 2025, and two Customer Service Reports received on June 26, 2024, and August 28, 2024.
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- Forest River issues recalls over sewage venting into living space
- Forest River recalls trailers with wrong safety chain guidelines
RVT1209b
Thank you for the news, Russ and Tina! My, that is a potentially deadly situation. Glad they caught it and have a remedy. Hopefully no deaths result before all affected vehicles are repaired. Have a great week and safe travels!