The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
The risk
In the event of a crash, windshield detachment can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will remove and replace the windshield, free charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C02. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 22, 2026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2026 |
Components: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2026 | 42 | 14 |
Other visibility recalls in 2026
21 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the visibility; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 26V612000 24 Sept 2026 | General Motors, LLC |
| 26V529000 13 Aug 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 26V516000 6 Aug 2026 | International Motors, LLC |
| 26V418000 30 Jun 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V374000 9 Jun 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V346000 28 May 2026 | Subaru of America, Inc. |
| 26V302000 12 May 2026 | Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. |
| 26V246000 17 Apr 2026 | Blue Bird Body Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026