The 2026 Ford Explorer has 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 484,380 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 20, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEATS26V4510002026-07-14387,911 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. The switch for the easy-entry second-row outer seats may bind or stick, resulting in the seats unlatching, tipping, or sliding unexpectedly.
Consequence
A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING26V3430002026-05-271,536 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Consequence
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this…
VISIBILITY26V2020002026-03-3155 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system may fail, which can cause the defrosting and defogging system to become inoperative.
Consequence
An inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and secure the instrument panel joints as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S22. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING26V2050002026-03-31278 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power.
Consequence
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S23. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)…
SEAT BELTS26V1590002026-03-17561 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
Consequence
A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor…
Consequence
A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs)…
VISIBILITY26V0240002026-01-218 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212,…
Consequence
In the event of a crash, windshield detachment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will remove and replace the windshield, free charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C02. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on…
ENGINE25V8280002025-12-016 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair, and 2025 Maverick vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
Consequence
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components increases the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in engine seizure and loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly, free of charge. All affected vehicles are still within dealership inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD3. Vehicle Identification Numbers…
VISIBILITY25V7300002025-10-2456,841 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Lincoln Corsair, Lincoln Aviator, and Explorer vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number…
Consequence
Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 6, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall become searchable on…
TRAILER HITCHES25V6870002025-10-101,412 affected
Defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Explorer and 2024-2026 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may be loose.
Consequence
While towing a trailer, loose trailer hitch bolts can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, or cause the trailer to detach. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the trailer hitch bolts, or replace them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 29, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this…
Complaints by component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
5
ENGINE
5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2
POWER TRAIN
2
VISIBILITY/WIPER
2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Purchased brand new vehicle two months ago, only has 2000 miles on it. We took it on vacation 14hours from home. Made it to our destination and started getting “vehicle communication errorsâ€� on the screen. Jumped the vehicle, notifications went away. We scheduled an appointment with a local…”
“Purchased brand new vehicle two months ago, only has 2000 miles on it. We took it on vacation 14hours from home. Made it to our destination and started getting “vehicle communication errorsâ€� on the screen. Jumped the vehicle, notifications went away. We scheduled an appointment with a local…”
“This 2026 ford explorer has stopped, stalled, hesitated and jerks after fuel fill-ups. It stopped twice for myself in busy intersections. The dealer has had it for weeks and when driving the vehicle back to me, stalled and hesitated for ford service dept. Twice. They told me I could not have my…”
“This 2026 ford explorer has stopped, stalled, hesitated and jerks after fuel fill-ups. It stopped twice for myself in busy intersections. The dealer has had it for weeks and when driving the vehicle back to me, stalled and hesitated for ford service dept. Twice. They told me I could not have my…”
“I purchased this new car from bell ford on xxx. Since I have owned it, it has been under ford’s care for almost 2 weeks at 2 different service departments. (I have owned for 90 days.) the car sputters and stops when putting on the gas from a start position. I ended up stalling in a busy…”
“I have a brand new 2026 ford explorer st. There is a permanent haze on or between the glass windshield that does not come off with any cleaning agent and appears to be between the layer. The service manager at the dealership acknowledges seeing the haze and the reduced clarity but clains ford will…”
“Description on your vehicle, it may be possible that one or more engine camshaft roller finger followers were not properly installed at the time of engine assembly. Safety risk an improperly installed engine camshaft roller finger follower may result in engine failure, resulting in a no-start…”
“Description on your vehicle, it may be possible that one or more engine camshaft roller finger followers were not properly installed at the time of engine assembly. Safety risk an improperly installed engine camshaft roller finger follower may result in engine failure, resulting in a no-start…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2026 Ford Explorer as of
July 20, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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