Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge.
Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.
Should you be worried?
This recall describes a safety risk and the remedy is still pending. Affected vehicles should be parked or driven only as needed until the manufacturer issues guidance. Always verify directly with the manufacturer or your dealer using the campaign number.
How serious is this recall vs others?
Each card compares this campaign against an NHTSA-derived peer baseline. Cards omit themselves when the denominator is too thin to be useful.
Affected Scale
58th percentile in scale
288,314 vehicles — among 26 recalls covering 2016–2019 FORD EXPLORER.
Component Frequency
Structure cited in 7.2% of recent recalls
216 of 3,014 NHTSA recalls in the last 36 months named a Structure-class component.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY has issued 242 distinct recall campaigns in the last 24 months across all of its product lines.
Risk Summary (Consequence)
A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Defect Summary
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed August 24, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
Find your VIN.Locate your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on the lower-left corner of your windshield, on the driver's-door jamb sticker, or on your vehicle registration. The VIN is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle falls under a recall — make/model/year alone is not enough.
Check your VIN on this site.Enter the VIN at /vin/ to see every open recall tied to your specific vehicle, including 26V448000. Our lookup pulls directly from the NHTSA recall database and refreshes daily.
Cross-reference with the official NHTSA recall search.For a second source of truth, run the same VIN through https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. If both this site and NHTSA show the same campaign as open for your VIN, it applies — schedule the repair.
Contact your dealer if affected.Bring the campaign number, your VIN, and your registration to an authorized dealer for the make. The dealer performs the remedy at no cost. If you've already paid for a related repair, bring the receipt — the manufacturer is required to reimburse pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect.
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V448000
What does this recall mean for me as a vehicle owner?▾
Recall 26V448000 means the manufacturer has identified a defect or noncompliance that may affect your vehicle. Repair work is performed at no cost to you under 49 U.S.C. § 30120. You don't have to do anything until you receive an owner notification letter, but you can act sooner if you want — bring this campaign number to your dealer.
Is this recall under remedy yet?▾
Not yet — as of the last NHTSA refresh on this page, no remedy date is on file. Affected owners should monitor their mail for the manufacturer's notification letter and contact a dealer in the meantime.
How do I find out if my specific VIN is affected?▾
Run your VIN through our VIN check tool to see all open recalls tied to your specific vehicle, including this one. NHTSA also offers an official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Both pull from the same federal source.
Who pays for the recall remedy?▾
The manufacturer pays. Federal law requires the manufacturer to repair, replace, or refund the affected vehicle or component at no cost to the owner — including parts, labor, and reasonable diagnostic time. If a dealer tries to charge you for a recall remedy, contact the manufacturer's customer line first, then NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
What if I've already had repair work done that addresses this issue?▾
Save the receipt. Federal law requires the manufacturer to reimburse you for pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect, subject to the reimbursement window the manufacturer publishes in its notification letter (typically the first refund period covers repairs going back to the earliest awareness date). Submit the receipt directly to the manufacturer with your VIN and the campaign number.
How do I check the recall status by VIN?▾
Use our VIN lookup tool — it returns every open recall, including completion status when the manufacturer reports it. The result also links back to each campaign's detail page.
What if this recall isn't fixed and I sell the vehicle?▾
You're not legally required to complete a recall before selling a used vehicle, but most state titling agencies and many dealers will run a VIN check during the sale. Disclose the open recall to the buyer in writing — undisclosed safety recalls are a common basis for post-sale fraud claims.
Where can I see all recalls for FORD EXPLORER 2016?▾
Browse all FORD recalls on this site, or visit the manufacturer's page to filter by year and component.
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