Safety recall Body and structure

Ford recall 26V-689: Tailgate Cable May Fail

Report received 15 days ago

Tailgate cable failure may allow the tailgate to drop onto the rear bumper, increasing the risk of injury.

Campaign facts

NHTSA campaign
26V689000 (26V-689)
Manufacturer number
26S78
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Report received
October 20, 2026
Component
Structure:body:tailgate:hinge and attachments
Vehicles potentially affected
30,123
Model years
2026–2027
Built between
May 30, 2026 and June 16, 2026
Recall initiated by
The manufacturer

What is wrong

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The left-side tailgate cable may fail under certain heavy load conditions.

The risk

Tailgate cable failure may allow the tailgate to drop onto the rear bumper, increasing the risk of injury.

Why structural defects matter: If structural parts separate, the vehicle may lose control or debris can strike other road users.

The remedy

Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed December 14, 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 26S78. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026.

About the body and structure

Structure campaigns cover the frame, body, hood, doors and mounting points that hold major parts in place.

Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-689

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-689 and the manufacturer’s number 26S78.
  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-689 on NHTSA.gov

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