RoadVitals

2026 Ford Maverick

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

NHTSA has issued a “do not drive” advisory affecting this model year.

Campaign 26V340000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.

Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov
Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
7
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
7
Latest Aug 25, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2026 Ford Maverick, most frequently naming the electrical, brakes and driver assistance categories. 7 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 31 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical218.2%
  • Brakes218.2%
  • Driver assistance218.2%
  • Visibility218.2%
  • Steering19.1%
  • Suspension19.1%
  • Airbags19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

7 campaigns cover this model year

View all 7

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
26V550000

STRUCTURE:BODY

Aug 25, 2026
23 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Maverick, F-150, and Bronco Sport vehicles. Certain vehicle joints may be improperly tightened. This can lead to detached parts, unsecured cargo, degraded crash protection, electrical system failure, or a loss of vehicle stability.
The risk: Improperly tightened vehicle joints may lead to a loss of vehicle control, electrical failure, or detached parts, increasing the risk of a crash or fire.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the vehicle joints or repair and replace the joint retention mechanisms as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications letters were mailed October 19, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S60. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 26, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26S60View on NHTSA.gov
26V340000NHTSA advisory: do not drive

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

May 27, 2026
4,653 units potentially affected
The 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.
The risk: A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2026. 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.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26S36View on NHTSA.gov
26V201000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Mar 31, 2026
3,170 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles. The Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) unit may fail to correctly detect the presence of an adult or child in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: Failure to correctly detect a passenger may result in the air bag not deploying as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant classification sensor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C19. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 26C19View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistance
Filed Nov 2, 2026

Good afternoon To who it may concern: Ford I just bought a ford maverick 2026 hybrid xlt awd 4k tow This pertains to all maverick awd only gas and hybrid. WIRE HARNESS VERY CLOSE TO EXHAUST PIPE. Rear drivers side it looks like it is for electric ebrake and ads . On mine and others that I went back and look at are all the same but very in distance from hot exhaust pipe. Mine was about 1” but because the suspension moves or if bed is load wth weight may hit. I talked service advisor but did seem to care to much. See pictures of mine I pushed away but there had been over 200,000 awd’s made. I was under my new truck running wire for my extra lights ,also they put heat reflective tape on wire near exhaust end pipe I also put tape on my wire but the is 3” or more and does not move.

NHTSA ID
11775224
Incident
Oct 17, 2026
Airbags
Filed Oct 4, 2026

We were involved in a side impact accident which then sent us into the center divide where we went over 14 barrier posts. None of the air bags deployed at either impact

NHTSA ID
11768836
Incident
Oct 4, 2026
SteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 27, 2026

Customer Concern – Highway-Speed Vibration There is a noticeable, consistent vibration that begins at approximately 50 MPH and above and becomes most prevalent around 60 MPH. The vibration is present while maintaining a steady speed and does not appear to be related to acceleration or throttle input. The truck continues to track straight and does not noticeably pull to either side. There is also a slight rhythmic “doot-doot-doot” type noise noticeable at highway speeds when the radio is off. The rhythm appears to remain fairly constant rather than speeding up or slowing down.

NHTSA ID
11767301
Incident
Sep 22, 2002
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 19, 2026

I was driving with some gravel in the back and the trailer sway control came on causing it to brake and almost lose control on the interstate in front of a semi. This. Vehicle has never had a trailer attached and the nothing in the trailer plug and that still came on.

NHTSA ID
11757941
Incident
Aug 19, 2026
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jun 15, 2026

Description On your vehicle, the instrument panel ip upper section may detach from the passenger air bag chute doors during air bag deployment. The airbag is expected to otherwise deploy in position and restrain the occupant as designed. Safety Risk In the event of a crash in which the vehicle deploys the passenger airbag, a part of the ip upper section may detach and strike a vehicle occupant, increasing the risk of injury. Remedy Parts are available to repair your vehicle. Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to replace the ip upper section free of charge. Next Steps Contact your dealer for more information to schedule the free service.

NHTSA ID
11744344
Incident
Dec 19, 2025
Visibility
Filed Jun 4, 2026

The info screen, Instrument cluster and backup camera are very dark, it's so dark you can't see the fuel level and engine temperature level, if I switch the headlamp switch to off the screen gets brighter in auto mode its dark, lately it's been flickering and going bright to dark. been to dealer 2x they say," no updates available, no stored codes, lights operating as designed no issues found'. I have checked other vehicles 2026 same year model and their instrument cluster and backup camera and info screen are very bright and clearly visible. I have spoken to service manager at dealer and filed a compilate with ford on 5/26.This is very dangerous there are many children in my neighborhood and have concerns when backing up even using my mirrors and turn around to look I can't see behind the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11741973
Incident
May 26, 2026
Visibility
Filed May 29, 2026

Windshields are made with glass far to thin. In the last 30 years i have never had a chip or crack on any vehicle. This is my second maverick, first one i had to replace windshield 3 times and fill 4 chips in 4 years. This new maverick i have now i have had for 1 month and already have a chip in my windshield. There is a major problem with the glass used on these trucks.

NHTSA ID
11740777
Incident
May 29, 2026

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PT-26.24.5 Maverick

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

Quality improvements include: -Addresses instances where the shifter is unable to get to the requested position, causing a shift system fault message

SSM 55300

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Some 2025-2026 Maverick and 2026 Bronco Sport vehicles equipped with an 8-inch instrument panel cluster (IPC) display and built on or before 27-Aug-2026 may exhibit a condition where the fuel gauge displays one mark below the full fuel level when the fuel tank is full. This may be due to the software in the IPC. To correct the condition, download and run the "IPC - Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Software Update" application using the latest software level of the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS) scan tool. For claiming, use causal part 10849 and labor operations 12651D and IPC.

SYNC-26.2.9.3 F-150,Escap

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Quality improvements include: -Enhanced Android Auto and Car Play connectivity

SSM 55221

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN

For 20222026 vehicles equipped with a 8F35 transmission, a revision to the Road Testing Vehicle procedure has been made in the WSM, Section 307-01 > Diagnosis and Testing. This updated procedure improves the diagnosis of customer reported transmission concerns and aids in locating the proper root cause. During diagnosis and testing, details regarding whether the condition is more prevalent when the vehicle is hot or cold, throttle percentage at the time of occurrence, vehicle speed, the specific shift involved, and whether the issue occurs during transmission engagements (N>R, N>D, R>D, and/or D>R) should be noted in the warranty claim. Engineering requests including these detailed operating conditions that will significantly assist with root cause analysis. Diagnosis, testing, and repair should use established labor times outside this article.

TSB 26-2092 V2

STRUCTURE:BODY

This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing Expedition and Navigator. One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit a headliner rattle or sagging condition around the roof opening panel. This may be due to the adhesive separating from the headliner substrate.

TCU-26.2.12.2.1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Quality improvements include: -Addresses a bug that may cause updates to fail

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Maverick by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026Viewing770—
20252412065.6
20248015167.8
20238421264.5
202215128266.5
1977120—
1976020—
1975010—
1974010—
1973011—
1972011—
1971031—
1970011—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.