Ford Explorer, model years 2026. Filed by Ford Motor Company and reported to NHTSA on 9 September 2026. 7 vehicles potentially affected.
What the notice says 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.
Is your vehicle included? Check with your VIN at NHTSA, or ask a dealer. This page is an independent copy of the notice, kept so you can see what changed after it was published. It is not the authority, and the authority’s own text is the one to act on.
Ford's own number for this recall: 26S65. That is the number on the owner letter and on the dealer paperwork. 26V581 is the number NHTSA gave the same campaign, and the number this page is filed under. They are one recall, written two ways.
What owners ask about this recall
- Which vehicles does recall 26V581 cover?
- Ford Explorer, model years 2026.
- What is wrong with them?
- 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.
- What can happen if it is not put right?
- An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- Is there a fix yet?
- Yes, and it is free. 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.
- What should I do now?
- Check your own vehicle by its VIN with NHTSA, which is the record to act on. Ford calls this recall 26S65, which is the number on the owner letter and the dealer paperwork.
Answered from the register this site holds. NHTSA is the record to act on.
affected
in the notice
caught
| Campaign | 26V581 |
|---|---|
| Filed by | Ford Motor Company |
| System at fault | Air Bags |
| Reported to NHTSA | 9 September 2026 |
| Model years | 2026 |
| Vehicles named | FORD EXPLORER |
What the notice says today
The defect
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.
The consequence
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The 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.
What it said before
As read on 22 September 2026
Defect 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 are expected to be mailed September 25, 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.
Vehicle count: 7
The copy we hold today hashes to f06c4731a765c40cccaf413c046db453…, so if it is ever edited the change is provable rather than a matter of memory.
Last checked . 1 change recorded in the wording since we started reading it daily, the latest on 26 September 2026.
Official record: NHTSA campaign 26V581. Every Ford campaign we hold: Ford recalls.
Owners of these cars
No register publishes what happens after the letter. Owners do: tell us, in two taps.
Anonymous: no account, no cookie, nothing you type is stored beyond these choices. Figures appear once 3 owners have answered, and are published with the record under CC BY 4.0.