Loss of Drive Power from Engine Failure

Affected vehicles (3)

Component / system

Defect

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 / consequence

A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 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.

Chronology of events

1. Mar 13, 2026

   On March 13, 2026, manufacturing team members from Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant (CEP) identified an engine with a dislodged Roller Finger Follower (RFF) valvetrain component during an engine teardown performed as part of standard production audit testing. On March 17, 2026, Ford reviewed a warranty claim on a 2026 Model Year Ranger exhibiting engine noise, which was also traced to a dislodged RFF. Following the identification of additional potentially related field occurrences, the concern was brought to Ford's Critical Concern Review Group (CCRG) for review on March 23, 2026. The investigation team determined that the RFFs could become dislodged from their proper position during the engine assembly process. To identify the suspect vehicle population, the investigation team reviewed historical engine assembly line camera images to determine which specific engines exhibited an off-location RFF during production. As of May 6, 2026, Ford is aware of 12 reports (9 warranty claims and 3 field reports) related to this condition.

2. May 19, 2026

   On May 19, 2026, Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action. Ford is not aware of any reports of accidents, injuries, or fires related to this condition.

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

May 28, 2026 - May 28, 2026 No Dealers

Owner notification

Nov 30, 2026 - Dec 03, 2026 Phased Recall