NHTSA & EPA data · updated November 2, 2026

2026 Ford Ranger recalls, problems & safety ratings

Quick answer

NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2026 Ford Ranger and 9 owner complaints. The most-reported problem areas are power train (3), service brakes (2), electrical system (2). It earned a 4-star overall NHTSA safety rating. EPA-rated fuel economy is 20–23 mpg combined, depending on configuration.

The 2026 has the fewest owner complaints of any Ranger model year from 2019 to 2026. It has 8 recalls vs. an average of 8.4 per model year.

Free. Shows whether a recall applies, plus specs, problems and ratings for your exact vehicle.

Recalls 8

Every recall NHTSA lists for the 2026 Ford Ranger. Not every recall applies to every vehicle, so check your VIN. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.

Back over prevention · display functionNHTSA #26V605000 · 09/22/2026

Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10.1-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.

Fix: The remedy is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed October 7, 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.

Engine and engine cooling · engine · hard parts internal/mechanicalNHTSA #26V548000 · 08/25/2026

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

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.

Engine and engine cooling · engine · hard parts internal/mechanicalNHTSA #26V343000 · 05/27/2026

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

Fix: Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 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.

Equipment · other · labelsNHTSA #26V335000 · 05/26/2026

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

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.

Seats · critical fastenersNHTSA #26V268000 · 04/28/2026

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

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.

Structure · interior panels · sun visorNHTSA #26V238000 · 04/14/2026

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

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.

Electrical system · integrated trailer brake controlNHTSA #26V104000 · 02/21/2026

Problem: 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. 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.

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.

Air bags · side/window · curtainNHTSA #25V541000 · 08/22/2025

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

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.

Common problems

From complaints owners filed with NHTSA. Complaints aren't verified, but patterns across hundreds of owners point to known weak spots.

Most-reported problem areas

Power train3
Service brakes2
Electrical system2
Unknown or other2
Seats2
Exterior lighting1
Wheels1
Engine1

By the numbers

9owner complaints filed
0involved a crash
0involved a fire
1injuries reported

Recent owner reports

10/26/2026 · Service brakes

This is a follow up to previous report 11773016. This morning we had Triple "A" haul the 2026 ford ranger lariat to the Corwin Ford dealership here in Reno. Upon arriving to pick up the vehicle the Tow vehicle driver looked under the vehicle and discovered ALL attaching bolts on the left front brake caliper missing and the caliper floating loosely. He was shocked that we ha…

10/22/2026 · Power train,electrical system,service brakes

After arriving in Carson City from Reno, NV and running errands on local city side streets the vehicle began making a loud ticking noise which transitioned to a whomp/whomp/whomp noise. I pulled over at the nearest opportunity into a business parking lot and the vehicle brakes immediately locked up. I received the following error messages on screen; > Anti lock brake system f…

10/02/2026 · Unknown or other

truck goes in and out of 4wd high while driving, even though the selector dial is in 2wd.

Safety ratings

2026 FORD RANGER (SUPER CREW) PU/CC N/A 4WD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

2026 FORD RANGER (SUPER CREW) PU/CC N/A RWD

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Fuel economy

EPA ratings for common configurations of the 2026 Ford Ranger.

Ranger 2WD

Auto (S10) · 4 cyl · 2.3 L · Turbo

21city
25hwy
23combined

Regular

Ranger 4WD

Auto (S10) · 4 cyl · 2.3 L · Turbo

19city
24hwy
21combined

Regular

Ranger 4WD

Auto (S10) · 6 cyl · 2.7 L · Turbo

18city
23hwy
20combined

Regular

Other model years

Compare every Ford Ranger year

Questions

How many recalls does the 2026 Ford Ranger have?

NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2026 Ford Ranger, most recently for back over prevention · display function (09/22/2026). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Enter your VIN to check whether a recall applies to your vehicle.

What are the most common problems with the 2026 Ford Ranger?

Based on 9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported areas are power train (3), service brakes (2), electrical system (2).

Is the 2026 Ford Ranger safe?

The 2026 Ford Ranger earned a 4-star overall rating in NHTSA's 5-star safety ratings.

Is the 2026 a good year for the Ford Ranger?

The 2026 has the fewest owner complaints of any Ranger model year from 2019 to 2026. It has 8 recalls vs. an average of 8.4 per model year.

What gas mileage does the 2026 Ford Ranger get?

EPA ratings for the 2026 Ford Ranger range from 20 to 23 mpg combined, depending on configuration.

Own a 2026 Ford Ranger in South Carolina?

Our mobile mechanics diagnose and fix the problems above at your home, office or fleet lot in Lexington, Columbia and the Midlands, with dealer-grade scan tools.

Related vehicles

Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings APIs; EPA fueleconomy.gov. Data retrieved November 2, 2026. NHTSA model names used: RANGER (SUPER CREW), Ranger.

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