Filed by Ford Motor Company on March 31, 2026; 2 model-year listings affected.
Engine and engine cooling: engine, hard parts internal/mechanical
NHTSA campaign 26V205000 · reported March 31, 2026 · Ford Motor Company · 278 vehicles potentially affected
- The problem
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power.
- The risk
- An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S23. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Whether a particular car is included depends on its build date: check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.