The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer vehicles. The active vent on the passenger side may not open as intended, preventing the air bag from deploying properly.
The risk
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S65. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 14, 2026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 2026 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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 air bags recalls in 2026
23 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the air bags; Ford Motor Company filed 737 campaigns in all.
| 26V622000 29 Sept 2026 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 26V611000 24 Sept 2026 | General Motors, LLC |
| 26V580000 9 Sept 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V545000 21 Aug 2026 | Kia America, Inc. |
| 26V526000 12 Aug 2026 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 26V445000 7 Jul 2026 | Tesla, Inc. |
| 26V389000 12 Jun 2026 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| 26V358000 2 Jun 2026 | Braun Corporation |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026