Recall campaign · NHTSA 26V451000

Seats: mid/rear assembly

Ford Motor Company filed this campaign with NHTSA on 2026-07-14.

Recall campaignNHTSA 26V451000

Seats: mid/rear assembly

Component
Seats: mid/rear assembly
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
387,911
Reported to NHTSA
2026-07-14
Owners notified
2026-08-21

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

A seat that moves unexpectedly may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the bezel around the switch as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters explaining the safety risk were mailed August 19, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Lincoln Aviator owner notification letters were mailed August 21, 2026. 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.

Scope of coverage

15 model years across 2 models.

ModelYears on record
Ford Explorer2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Lincoln Aviator2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.