Safety recall Body and structure

Ford recall 26V-448: Roof Rail Covers May Detach

Report received 4 months ago

A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Campaign facts

NHTSA campaign
26V448000 (26V-448)
Manufacturer number
26S54
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Report received
July 14, 2026
Component
Structure:body
Vehicles potentially affected
288,314
Model years
2016–2019
Built between
September 19, 2014 and March 3, 2019
Recall initiated by
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

What is wrong

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.

The risk

A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Why structural defects matter: A structural defect can let a part detach, reduce crash protection or allow corrosion to weaken the frame.

The remedy

Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.

About the body and structure

The vehicle structure carries loads and protects occupants; welds, frames, hood latches and body mounts all belong to it.

Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-448

What to do

  1. Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s lookup (below) to confirm that your vehicle is included and that the repair has not already been done.
  2. Call a dealer for the brand and book the repair. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V-448 and the manufacturer’s number 26S54.
  3. Look for visible corrosion, cracks or loose panels, and point them out to the dealer.
  4. Safety recall repairs are carried out free of charge by the manufacturer’s dealers. If you already paid for this repair yourself, ask the manufacturer about reimbursement and keep your receipt.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every vehicle of a model year. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

The official record

This page reproduces the campaign as filed with NHTSA. The NHTSA record is authoritative — if anything here differs, follow the agency.

Open campaign 26V-448 on NHTSA.gov

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