Exterior lighting: headlights
- Component
- Exterior lighting: headlights
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Vehicles affected
- 35,772
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2026-03-03
- Owners notified
- 2026-03-23
Defect description
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Safety risk
A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.