What the Expected Ford Explorer Recall Means for Glass Shops Heading into 2024

In the final weeks of 2023, the auto-glass industry was tracking an anticipated recall that would arrive in January 2024 with significant shop implications. NHTSA's PE23-001 investigation into 1.86 million Ford Explorers for A-pillar trim detachment had been open throughout the year, and the eventual recall — designated 24V-031 by NHTSA and 24S02 by Ford — arrived in January 2024 covering more than one million 2011–2019 Explorer SUVs.

Ford's recall FAQ described the specific issue: the A-pillar exterior trim on either side of the front windshield might be loose, missing, or become detached from the vehicle. The recall documentation identified improperly engaged exterior A-pillar applique trim clip attachments as the cause — either due to improper assembly at the factory or during subsequent repair work. The inclusion of subsequent repair work as a contributing cause put auto-glass shops squarely within the investigation's scope.

For glass shops that performed windshield replacements on 2011–2019 Explorers during 2023 — and many did, since it is one of the most common SUV platforms in the market — the approaching recall raised questions about liability, re-inspection protocols, and customer notification. If a shop replaced an Explorer windshield without properly re-engaging the A-pillar clips, and that vehicle subsequently experienced trim detachment covered by the recall, the shop's installation records would become relevant.

Preparing for the recall at year-end 2023 meant, practically, auditing clip inspection practices for Explorer windshield work, ensuring replacement-clip inventory was adequate, and reviewing work orders for Explorer jobs performed during the year to assess whether any vehicles might need follow-up inspection.

The recall also served as a model for how shops should think about perimeter-trim responsibility more broadly. A-pillar moldings, clips, and edge trim are components that the shop touches during every windshield removal and installation. Treating them as carefully as the glass itself — inspecting for wear, replacing damaged clips, and verifying proper engagement before a vehicle leaves the bay — is a standard of care that both protects the customer and insulates the shop from recall-proximity liability.

Ford's 24S02 recall directed owners to book dealer appointments for inspection and replacement of affected trim. Shops were not designated as recall repair points, but customer inquiries about the recall were a near certainty for any shop that had recently replaced an Explorer windshield.