NHTSA safety recall
Recall 26V121000: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Ford Motor Company · Reported to NHTSA Mar 3, 2026
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.govWhat this recall covers
NHTSA's campaign record, quoted as published
The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer vehicles. The Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) system software may cause the passenger-side headlight to turn in the wrong direction when driving through curves in the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
The headlight control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C12. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 5, 2026.
A 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.
Campaign details
Identifiers and dates as filed with NHTSA
- Manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Manufacturer's campaign number
- 26C12
- NHTSA campaign number
- 26V121000
- Units potentially affected
- 35,772
- Report received
- Mar 3, 2026
- Production range
- Nov 29, 2023 – Nov 23, 2025
- Campaign type
- Vehicle
- Federal safety standard (FMVSS)
- 108
Vehicles covered
2 model years across 1 model
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.