Vehicle recall 26V581000 · September 9, 2026
2026 Ford Explorer
The active vent on the passenger side may not open as intended, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
Source: NHTSA data as of November 8, 2026. Last refreshed Nov 8, 2026, 6:01 PM UTC.
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. The active vent on the passenger side may not open as intended, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
- Consequence
- An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S65. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 14, 2026.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V581000
- Reported to NHTSA
- September 9, 2026
- Filed by
- Ford Motor Company
- Manufacturer campaign
- 26S65
- Owner notification
- September 16, 2026
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 7
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Air bags › Frontal
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
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.