The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.
The risk
A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 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 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY
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 | 2016 | 2,462 | 14 |
| Ford Explorer | 2017 | 1,703 | 13 |
| Ford Explorer | 2018 | 734 | 7 |
| Ford Explorer | 2019 | 299 | 6 |
Other structure recalls in 2026
49 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the structure; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 26V677000 15 Oct 2026 | Volvo Trucks North America |
| 26V665000 9 Oct 2026 | Altec Industries, Inc. |
| 26V637000 2 Oct 2026 | Altec Industries, Inc. |
| 26V635000 1 Oct 2026 | Daimler Trucks North America, LLC |
| 26V631000 1 Oct 2026 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
| 26V613000 24 Sept 2026 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 26V608000 23 Sept 2026 | Forest River, Inc. |
| 26V584000 10 Sept 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026