Do Not Drive: Loss of Control from Control Arm Separation

Affected vehicles (2)

Component / system

Defect

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.

Risk / consequence

A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 4, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.

Chronology of events

1. Apr 30, 2026

   On April 30, 2026, Ford’s Chassis team identified a warranty claim for a 2025 model year (MY) Bronco Sport vehicle that reported the left front wheel became misaligned while driving at 1 month-in-service.

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

May 29, 2026 - May 29, 2026 No Dealers

Owner notification

Jun 01, 2026 - Jun 05, 2026 Phased Recall