Campaign 26V-448

Roof rail covers may come loose and detach from the vehicle

Defect summary

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

Consequence

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

Remedy

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.

Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file, campaign 26V448000. Text as published by NHTSA.

Vehicles covered

One product line is covered

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA about structure on these vehicles: 1,684, of which 26 involved a crash, fire, injury or death. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-448
Make	Model	Model years	Complaints on this component
Ford	Explorer	2016 to 2019	1,684

Source: NHTSA ODI recalls and complaints files. Equipment, tire and child-seat campaigns list products, not vehicles.

Investigation

No NHTSA investigation is linked to this recall

Most recalls are started by the manufacturer. This one lists "NHTSA investigation" as its origin.

Before the recall

1 service bulletin on this component came first

Distinct manufacturer communications on the same component group, make, model and model year in the 24 months before the report date.

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications file.

Service bulletins

26V-550 Aug 25, 2026
Certain vehicle joints may be improperly tightened
26V-487 Jul 28, 2026
Rear side quarter window glass trim may be improperly secured, which can allow it to detach
26V-403 Jun 24, 2026
Fender flares may not be properly secured and detach from the vehicle
26V-368 Jun 9, 2026
Chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges
26V-299 May 12, 2026
3-door and 5-door Molded-In-Color (MIC) hardtop roof panels may have been manufactured improperly, which can allow sections of the outer roof…
26V-061 Feb 3, 2026
Engine crossmember may not be secured properly, which can cause the engine to shift and possibly result in a loss of drive power or brake failure