Model Years

2026 Ford Ranger Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 6 owner complaints for the 2026 Ford Ranger.

8Safety recalls
6Owner complaints
0Complaints citing a crash
0Complaints citing a fire

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.

Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Recalled components: backover prevention and rearview camera, engine and cooling, equipment, seats, and 3 more. Most-reported area: powertrain (2 complaints, 33%). The Ranger returned to the US for 2019.

8 safety recalls for the 2026 Ford Ranger

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Backover prevention and rearview camera

Sep 22, 2026

display function

  • Fails federal standard 111 (rear visibility)
  • NHTSA 26V-605
  • 11,405 vehicles

1-inch center stack screen. The screen may lose power and fail to display the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: The remedy is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed October 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 25, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Components: Backover prevention and rearview camera: display function; Equipment: electrical, infotainment. Ford campaign 26C42.

Engine and cooling

Aug 25, 2026

engine · hard parts internal/mechanical

The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.

Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 26S61.

Engine and cooling

May 27, 2026

engine · hard parts internal/mechanical

The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.

Risk: A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 26S35.

Equipment

May 26, 2026

labels

  • Fails federal standard 110 (tire and rim labeling)
  • NHTSA 26V-335
  • 268 vehicles

The vehicle specifications listed on the tire placard and safety certification labels may be incorrect, including the VIN, capacity weight, seating capacity, front and rear gross axle weight rating (GAWR), tire and rim dimensions, and recommended cold tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims" and 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Risk: The incorrect tire size, tire pressures, and GAWR listed on the labels can allow the vehicle to be overloaded or have improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the certification and TREAD labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C24. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 26C24.

Seats

Apr 28, 2026

critical fasteners

The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.

Risk: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S30. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 30, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 26S30.

Body structure

Apr 14, 2026

interior panels · sun visor

The sun visor or headliner wiring harnesses may be improperly positioned or have excessive tape thickness, which can result in damaged wires.

Risk: Damaged wires can create an electrical short and cause a fire in the A-pillar area, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will inspect the wiring for damage and update the body control module software. Damaged wiring harnesses will be replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 5/31/2026. Phase 2 will include 2026 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2024 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 6/29/2026 for Phase 2 and the week of 7/27/2026 for Phase 3. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed May 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 17, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Components: Electrical system; Body structure: interior panels, sun visor. Ford campaign 26S29.

Electrical system

Feb 20, 2026

integrated trailer brake control

  • Fails federal standard 108 (lighting)
  • NHTSA 26V-104
  • 4,381,878 vehicles

When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk: Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix and full notice

Fix: The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Components: Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control; Exterior lighting: tail lights. Ford campaign 26C10.

Air bags

Aug 22, 2025

side/window · curtain

  • Fails federal standard 226 (ejection mitigation)
  • NHTSA 25V-541
  • 100,900 vehicles

The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Risk: Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.

The fix and full notice

Fix: Dealers will install protective shields, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C41.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles.

NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 25C41.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What owners report

The areas named in the 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2026 Ranger. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Ford Ranger recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2026 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Ranger drew the most (68).

Owner complaints

2026: 6 complaints

Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Ranger
Model yearComplaints
2019267
2020127
2021114
202237
202318
202483
202540
20266

Safety recalls

2026: 8 recalls

Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Ranger
Model yearRecalls
201911
20207
20216
20225
20234
202413
202513
20268

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

Tested versionOverallFrontalSideRollover
FORD RANGER (SUPER CREW) PU/CC N/A 4WD
Rollover risk 22.8%
FORD RANGER (SUPER CREW) PU/CC N/A RWD
Rollover risk 27.9%

Questions

What are the most common 2026 Ranger problems?

The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: powertrain (2), seats (2), electrical system (1). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.

Is the 2026 Ford Ranger safe?

In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Ford Ranger earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.

How do I check if my Ranger has an open recall?

Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.

Sources and method

  • NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
  • NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
  • NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
  • NHTSA model names covered: RANGER.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.