NHTSA safety recall

Recall 26V159000 · manufacturer campaign 26C18

Seat Belts — Ford, Lincoln · reported 17 Mar 2026 · 561 vehicles potentially affected

What's wrong

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.

The risk

A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The fix

Dealers will inspect the second-row outer seat belt lower anchor bolts and replace or repair them as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.

NHTSA campaign
26V159000
Manufacturer campaign
26C18
Filed by
Ford Motor Company
Report received
17 Mar 2026
Owners notified
30 Mar 2026
Potentially affected
561

Vehicles covered by this recall

Whether a particular car is affected and still unrepaired depends on its VIN — a model year being listed does not mean every car of that year is included. Check any VIN free on CarLogs, or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2020 Ford Explorer 2021 Ford Explorer 2022 Ford Explorer 2023 Ford Explorer 2024 Ford Explorer 2025 Ford Explorer 2026 Ford Explorer 2020 Lincoln Aviator 2021 Lincoln Aviator 2022 Lincoln Aviator 2023 Lincoln Aviator 2024 Lincoln Aviator 2025 Lincoln Aviator 2026 Lincoln Aviator

Is this car's recall fixed?

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, for the life of the vehicle. A CarLogs report shows the recall status for a specific VIN as reported by the manufacturer — whether it's open or repaired, and whether the fix is available yet.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall database. Look up another campaign →