The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system may fail, which can cause the defrosting and defogging system to become inoperative.
The risk
An inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and secure the instrument panel joints 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 26S22. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 3, 2026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2026 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2026 |
Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
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 |
| Lincoln Aviator | 2026 | 4 | 6 |
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