Recall 26V451000 scope
Recall 26V451000
Second-Row Seat May Move Unexpectedly • FORD MOTOR COMPANY • SEATS • reported Jul 14, 2026 • • 387,911 units affected
View official record on NHTSA.gov · federal source of truth
- Campaign
- 26V451000
- Mfr Recall #
- 26S52
- Recall Type
- Vehicle
- Manufacturer
- FORD MOTOR COMPANY
- Component
- SEATS
- Makes
- FORD, LINCOLN
- Model Years
- 2020–2027
- Affected Units
- 387,911
- Country
- US
- Data As Of
- Jul 19, 2026
What this recall is about, in plain English
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2027 Aviator and 2020-2026 Explorer vehicles. A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge.
Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.
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.
Risk Summary (Consequence)
A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Defect Summary
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.
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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S52. This recall expands Recall 25V393. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
Key Dates
Affected Vehicles
15 vehicles under this recall
| Make | Model | Year |
|---|---|---|
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2026 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2025 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2024 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2023 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2022 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2021 |
| FORD | EXPLORER | 2020 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2027 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2026 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2025 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2024 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2023 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2022 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2021 |
| LINCOLN | AVIATOR | 2020 |
Official Sources & Documents
Links to NHTSA.gov and Part 573 recall reports when available — hosted by NHTSA, not TruckCodex
- NHT Go to Recall
Documents hosted on nhtsa.gov. Links open in a new tab.
Other FORD MOTOR COMPANY Recalls
Recent campaigns from the same manufacturer (last 3 years)
| Campaign | Component | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 26E046000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 315 |
| 26V448000 | STRUCTURE | 288,314 |
| 26V418000 | VISIBILITY | 67,842 |
| 26V415000 | BACK OVER PREVENTION | 66,383 |
| 26V417000 | POWER TRAIN | 42,784 |
| 26V402000 | POWER TRAIN | 741,195 |
| 26V403000 | STRUCTURE | 36,046 |
| 26V370000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4,445 |
| 26V376000 | POWER TRAIN | 5,252 |
| 26V374000 | VISIBILITY | 18,124 |
Recalls Affecting the Same Makes
Campaigns touching FORD, LINCOLN from other manufacturers (last 3 years)
Related NHTSA Investigations
Investigations opened by ODI covering the same manufacturer or makes (FORD, LINCOLN) in the last 3 years
Related NHTSA Complaints
Consumer complaints for the same make, model, and year within two years of the recall report date
Of 1,572 related complaints, the most reported components are Power Train (302), Unknown Or Other (233), Electrical System (160).
How to Act on This Recall
- Owners: Contact your authorized dealer to schedule the remedy at no cost. Remedy is covered under 49 U.S.C. 30120.
- Fleets: See the Fleet Recall Workflow Guide for the operator workflow to sweep your VIN list against this and other open campaigns.
- Looking up a specific VIN? Check VIN against NHTSA for open recalls on that vehicle.
- NHTSA contact: Vehicle Safety Hotline 1-888-327-4236.
How to verify your vehicle is affected
- 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 26V451000. 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 26V451000
What does this recall mean for me as a vehicle owner? ▾
Is this recall under remedy yet? ▾
How do I find out if my specific VIN is affected? ▾
Who pays for the recall remedy? ▾
What if I've already had repair work done that addresses this issue? ▾
How do I check the recall status by VIN? ▾
What if this recall isn't fixed and I sell the vehicle? ▾
Where can I see all recalls for FORD EXPLORER 2020? ▾
Related
Data sources & freshness
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.