02:30 01-07-2026
Ford recall: 741,195 SUVs and F-150s at risk of rolling away from Park
NHTSA campaign 26V402 covers Expedition, Navigator, Explorer, Aviator and F-150 from 2018–2021. The parking pawl can briefly engage while driving and damage the Park system.
Ford has announced a major US recall over the risk of vehicles rolling away after the transmission is shifted into Park. According to 32CARS.RU, NHTSA campaign 26V402 covers 741,195 vehicles: Ford Expedition from 2018–2021, Lincoln Navigator from 2018–2021, Ford Explorer from 2020–2021, Lincoln Aviator from 2020–2021 and the 2021 Ford F-150.
The issue lies with the automatic transmission and the parking mechanism. According to NHTSA documents, the parking pawl can briefly engage while the vehicle is moving during certain shifts. When this happens, Park system components can be damaged. After that, the vehicle is not always reliably held in P, especially if the driver has not engaged the electronic parking brake.
The largest share of the recall falls on the Ford Explorer — 313,147 vehicles. Next come the Expedition with 246,202 units, the F-150 with 82,570, the Lincoln Navigator with 59,079 and the Lincoln Aviator with 40,197. Ford estimates the share of vehicles with the defect at roughly 1%, but the scope of the campaign is large because of the broad lineup running park-by-wire and the 10R60, 10R80 or 10R80MHT transmissions.
The technical cause is the transmission valve body separator plate: it can restrict flow to the park valve. The driver may see a “wrench” warning indicator on the instrument cluster, and the electronic parking brake should engage automatically if the transmission range sensor does not confirm the Park position.
The investigation began after owner complaints. As of May 20, 2026, Ford had identified 220 internal reports and 10 VOQ complaints for the Explorer and Aviator, plus 62 reports and 3 complaints for the Expedition and Navigator. The company also reported 24 allegations of property damage and 9 alleged injuries, two of which involve emotional consequences.
The repair will be free of charge: dealers will update the powertrain control module software and inspect the transmission, replacing damaged Park system components if needed. Owners will first receive interim letters in August 2026 warning of the risk, while full notification that the remedy is ready is expected in April 2027. Dealers have already been placed under a stop-sale and stop-delivery order on affected new inventory until the recall is performed.
For the used Ford and Lincoln market, this is an important note in a vehicle’s history. Buyers of these F-150, Explorer, Expedition, Aviator or Navigator models should check the VIN against the NHTSA database or through a dealer: the issue is not about comfort, it is about the basic question of whether a heavy vehicle will stay where it was parked.