Monday, September 14, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2016–2019 Ford Explorer Recall: Roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle

NHTSA campaign 26V448000 · Structure · filed Jul 14, 2026 · verified Sep 14, 2026

Units reported
288K
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Risk
Crash / injury
Owner letters
Interim notice Aug 28, 2026

The defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Explorer vehicles. The roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle.

The risk

A detached roof rail cover can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check whether your specific vehicle is affected

Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.

Check VIN on NHTSA →

The fix — what to do

Dealers will inspect the roof rail covers and as necessary, repair or replace the push-pins, rail clips, or roof rail covers, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 28, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S54. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 21V316. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 16, 2026.

Affected vehicles

MakeModelModel years
FordExplorer2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Related recalls

All Ford Explorer recalls → · All Ford recalls →

Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 26V448000 (manufacturer number 26S54). Data last verified Sep 14, 2026.