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Why do Ford doors and tailgates open on their own?
Ford's latch-related recalls fall into three clusters. The largest is the four-door Bronco: three separate recalls, covering 2021-2022, 2023-2024 and 2024 models, all describing the same defect — a rear door can be opened from inside even with the child safety lock switched ON, the left-side door in the two newer ones. A second cluster is tailgates: 2017-2019 Super Duty F-250, F-350 and F-450 trucks with an electric release switch in the handle can short out when water reaches the wiring, and 2018 F-150 tailgate latches can unlatch while driving. The oldest, from 2018, covers 2018 Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles built with door striker bolts shorter than intended, which fails federal door retention requirements.
Warning signs to watch for
- A rear Bronco door opens from the inside even though the child safety lock is set to ON.
- The tailgate on an F-150 or Super Duty releases by itself, including while driving.
- Cargo shifts or falls out of the bed after the tailgate opens unexpectedly.
- Water intrusion around the tailgate handle switch wiring on Super Duty trucks.
- The short striker bolts on the 2018 Edge and MKX give no warning you can see or feel — the doors may simply fail to stay shut in a crash.
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of these six recalls carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction, so you can keep driving while you wait for parts and an appointment. The notices do point to sensible limits: on the 2018 F-150 and 2017-2019 Super Duty trucks, avoid hauling loose cargo in the bed, since a tailgate that releases on its own can drop items onto the road. On affected Broncos, don't rely on the child safety lock — seat children where an adult can supervise them, or in an unaffected seat, until the latch is checked.
What the free repair involves
All of these remedies are dealer work at no cost. On the Edge and MKX, dealers replace the short door striker bolts. On Super Duty trucks they add jumper pigtails to isolate the tailgate release control circuits and install a new tailgate handle release switch; on the F-150 they replace the left- and right-hand tailgate latches. On Broncos they inspect the child safety lock and latch and replace the rear door latch as necessary.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| medium | 6 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-09 | Ford Bronco rear door opens despite child lock | medium |
| 2024-03-08 | Ford Bronco child safety lock may not hold rear door | medium |
| 2022-06-10 | Ford Bronco rear child safety lock may not work | medium |
| 2021-12-16 | Ford F-150: tailgate can open on its own while driving | medium |
| 2019-12-04 | Ford Super Duty tailgate can open on its own | medium |
| 2018-09-11 | Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX doors may open in crash | medium |
Common questions
Why does the Bronco have three separate child safety lock recalls?
They cover different model years and build periods: one for 2021-2022 four-door Broncos, one for 2023-2024 four-door Broncos, and one issued in 2025 for certain 2024 Broncos. A 2024 Bronco could fall under either of the later two, so check your VIN.
Can I keep using the tailgate on my F-150 or Super Duty?
Nothing in the notices bars using it, but both defects let the tailgate open on its own, so avoid carrying loose cargo in the bed until the latches or the handle switch and wiring have been replaced free of charge.
How would I know if my Edge or MKX has the short striker bolts?
You generally wouldn't — the bolts are too short but nothing changes in daily driving. The concern is door retention in a crash, which is why Ford recalled specific 2018 Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles. A VIN lookup is the reliable check.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.