Safety recall Engine and cooling

Ford recall 26V-548: Improperly Manufactured Pistons May Fail

Report received 2 months ago

An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Campaign facts

NHTSA campaign
26V548000 (26V-548)
Manufacturer number
26S61
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Report received
August 25, 2026
Component
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Vehicles potentially affected
10,001
Model years
2026
Built between
February 16, 2026 and April 22, 2026
Recall initiated by
The manufacturer

What is wrong

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.

The risk

An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Why engine defects matter: Losing engine power at speed increases the risk of a crash, and fluid leaks near the exhaust are a fire risk.

The remedy

Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.

About the engine and cooling

Engine campaigns cover internal engine parts, cooling, oil supply, turbochargers and the controls that manage them.

Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-548

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-548 and the manufacturer’s number 26S61.
  3. Watch for warning lamps, smoke, unusual noises or leaks under the vehicle, and stop driving if any appear.
  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-548 on NHTSA.gov

Other Ford engine and cooling recalls