NHTSA Campaign 26V159000

SEAT BELTS

Issued by Ford Motor Company · Reported Mar 17, 2026 · 561 vehicles 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.

Consequence

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

Remedy

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.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
FORD EXPLORER 2020 561
FORD EXPLORER 2021 561
FORD EXPLORER 2022 561
FORD EXPLORER 2023 561
FORD EXPLORER 2024 561
FORD EXPLORER 2025 561
FORD EXPLORER 2026 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2020 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2021 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2022 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2023 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2024 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2025 561
LINCOLN AVIATOR 2026 561

Source: NHTSA Campaign 26V159000 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.