Ford's 2026 Recall Campaigns: Nearly 10 Million Vehicles Affected

Ford has barely begun 2026, yet it's already racked up nearly 10 million vehicles in recall campaigns. As of May 5, the automaker had 34 recalls affecting 9,812,890 vehicles, along with a separate campaign covering 2,633 engine block heaters.

Recalls are a sore spot for Ford. Last year, the brand set a record with 153 recalls involving nearly 13 million vehicles. While the number of campaigns in 2026 is still lower, the pace in terms of affected vehicles is concerning—it's not far off from last year's total.

The biggest recall of the year covers 4.38 million vehicles. Affected models include the Ford F-150 from model years 2021–2026, Super Duty 2022–2026, Maverick, Expedition, Ranger, E-Transit, and Lincoln Navigator. The issue is a software glitch that can disable the brakes and lights on a connected trailer. Ford plans to fix it via an over-the-air update.

Other large campaigns are also underway. Nearly 1.39 million 2015–2017 Ford F-150s are recalled for a risk of sudden downshifting that could cause loss of control. Another 889,950 vehicles are recalled for a faulty rearview camera image, and 849,310 for a potential display failure. Wiper issues have affected hundreds of thousands of Escape, Explorer, Expedition, Super Duty, and Lincoln models.

More dangerous defects are also on the list: engine block heaters that pose a short circuit or fire risk, high-voltage battery issues in the E-Transit, Escape PHEV, and Lincoln Corsair PHEV, as well as brake problems, seat belt, airbag, fuel pump, and seat mount failures.

Ford has been under pressure from recalls and warranty costs for years. In 2024, NHTSA fined the company for failing to comply with federal recall requirements. Ford subsequently agreed to revise its procedures and hold regular meetings with the regulator under a three-year agreement.

Ford attributes the rise in recalls to a new strategy: identifying and fixing hardware and software issues faster. The company says it more than doubled its safety and technical teams and expanded testing of critical systems.

For owners, it's a mixed bag. On one hand, a recall isn't always a disaster—sometimes it's just an over-the-air update with no service visit needed. On the other hand, when campaigns cover millions of vehicles, the issue isn't one defect but trust in how quickly Ford can transform its quality checks into fewer real-world problems on the road.