NHTSA campaign 26V205000 · Ford campaign 26S23
Ford Recall 26V-205: Incorrectly Installed Piston Circlips
NHTSA recall 26V205000 (Ford campaign 26S23) was reported by Ford Motor Company on March 31, 2026, with 278 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Ford Explorer and Ford Mustang for the 2026 model year. Owners were notified on April 10, 2026, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 26V205000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V205000 (also written 26V-205 or 26V205)
- Filed by
- Ford Motor Company
- Ford campaign number
- 26S23
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 278 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 76.62% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 26V205000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Ford
Ford Explorer
- 2026 · Vehicles built February 17, 2026 – February 26, 2026 (per NHTSA)
Ford Mustang
- 2026 · Vehicles built February 20, 2026 – February 26, 2026 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 26V205000.
Defect description
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power.
Safety consequence
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S23. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 26V205000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.