Vehicle recall 26V205000 · March 31, 2026
Ford Explorer and Mustang
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.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- 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) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V205000
- Reported to NHTSA
- March 31, 2026
- Filed by
- Ford Motor Company
- Manufacturer campaign
- 26S23
- Owner notification
- April 10, 2026
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 278
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Hard parts internal/mechanical
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Ford Explorer (2026): 2026
- Ford Mustang (2026): 2026
Has your Ford been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.