Toyota is recalling 550,000 Highlander vehicles for a second-row seat defect, while Ford is recalling vehicles over headlight and power issues.
Toyota issued a safety recall on March 5 after finding that recliner assemblies in the seats may fail to fully lock after adjustment. The company stated in its recall notice that a “seat back that has not been secured in a locked position may fail to properly restrain occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash at higher speeds.”
The action covers certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid models.
Dealers will replace the return springs in the recliner assemblies with improved versions at no cost to owners once the remedy becomes available. Affected owners will receive notification letters by early May 2026.
Vehicle owners can check recall status by visiting Toyota.com/recall or NHTSA.gov/recalls and entering their vehicle identification number or license plate information. For questions, they can call the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at 1-800-331-4331.
On Tuesday, Ford Motor Company issued two separate recalls for headlight and power loss problems. More than 35,700 Explorer SUVs were recalled because of a software error that can misdirect the passenger-side headlight.
The action covers model-year 2025-26 Explorers. The Dynamic Bending Light adaptive headlight system may cause the light to turn the wrong way during curves, resulting in increased glare to other drivers and a heightened risk of a crash.
The fix requires a free software update to the headlight control module. It can be performed by a dealer or delivered over the air.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 23. In the meantime, owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 (recall number 26C12), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or check the agency’s website with their vehicle identification number.
At the same time, Ford is recalling more than 47,800 vehicles — including some Lincoln models — that may experience an unexpected loss of drive power.
The affected Ford vehicles are model-year 2025 Bronco, Bronco Sport, Escape, Explorer SUVs, Mustang sports cars, and Maverick and Ranger pickup trucks. The Lincoln models are the 2025 Corsair and Nautilus SUVs.
The issue involves the exhaust gas recirculation valve, which may fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
A remedy is under development. Interim letters notifying owners are expected to be mailed on March 16, with a second letter to follow once the fix is available. Ford expects that to be sometime in September.
Owners can reach the automaker at 866-436-7332 (recall number 26S10), use the same NHTSA hotline, or visit the agency’s website.
So far this year, Ford Motor Company has initiated 17 recall campaigns, impacting over 7.3 million vehicles. Last year, Ford issued 147 vehicle recalls, the highest number ever by an automaker in a single calendar year, Wards Auto reported.
