Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~150,000 vehicles for a variety of safety defects involving brake failures wheels coming off, fires and rollaways. The largest recall involves model year 2024-2026 Ranger pickup trucks. The sun visor or headliner wiring from a supplier (Versigent) can cause a fire inside the cab. Ford is operating under a consent order from NHTSA because of its previous handing of recalls.
“A short in the power takeout for the right or left sun visor assembly may create heat or spark, resulting in fire in the A-pillar area. When a damaged wire creates a short to ground, heat or spark at this short may also cause smoke, burn, melt or fire. A driver may experience flickering or inoperative sun visor mirror lights and overhead console lights prior to a smoking, melting or fire event,” Ford said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning.
Ranger Pickup Truck Visor Recall
Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle inspected for history of a B14AA-11 Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). Vehicles with this DTC history will have their sun visor wiring harness inspected for evidence of damage. Wiring harnesses with damage will be replaced. All vehicles will receive a Body Control Module (BCM) software update that will turn off sun visor lamp power after detecting a threshold count of B14AA DTC occurrences and prevent future short circuits. There will be no charge for this service as required by Federal Safety regulations.
Bronco Transmission Recall
Ford Motor is also recalling 2021-2025 model year Bronco SUVs. The transmission to transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines. Customers may notice a grinding or clunking noise prior to loss of motive power or loss of park pawl function.
“On affected vehicles, the transmission-to-transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to premature wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines. If the splines on the transmission output shaft or transfer case are worn such that they do not have sufficient spline engagement to transfer torque. …Loss of motor power while driving or vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.”
Dealers will inspect the transmission to transfer case joint and replace the transmission and transfer case as necessary, free of charge as required by law. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall are searchable at NHTSA.gov.
F-59 and F-53 Recreational Vehicle Wheel Loss Recall and Brake Recall
Ford is also recalling model year 2025-2026 F-59 and F-53 vehicles (NHTSA 26V235 or 26V-235). The front axle hub assembly may be missing the spindle nut and cotter pin. “The customer may experience noise/vibration harshness (NVH) concerns and illumination of the anti-lock brake system (ABS) cluster lamp prior to damage to brake system or wheel detachment. If the vehicle is driven with missing front axle hub spindle nut, a degradation in brake system integrity may result in a possible rotor fracture, damage to brake caliper bracket, or loss of the front wheel.
Spindle nut and cotter pin installation and subsequent inspection may have been missed during a period of manual installation at the assembly plant while the normal automated installation tool was out of service.
Dealers will inspect and replace the front axle spindle nut and cotter pin as necessary, free of charge as required by law. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S27. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall are searchable on NHTSA.gov.
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ford Motor Recalls for Brakes, Wheel Loss, Rollaways, Fires,
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling ~150,000 vehicles for a variety of safety defects involving brake failures wheels coming off, fires and rollaways. The largest recall involves model year 2024-2026 Ranger pickup trucks. The sun visor or headliner wiring from a supplier (Versigent) can cause a fire inside the cab. Ford is operating under a consent order from NHTSA because of its previous handing of recalls.
“A short in the power takeout for the right or left sun visor assembly may create heat or spark, resulting in fire in the A-pillar area. When a damaged wire creates a short to ground, heat or spark at this short may also cause smoke, burn, melt or fire. A driver may experience flickering or inoperative sun visor mirror lights and overhead console lights prior to a smoking, melting or fire event,” Ford said in the mandatory safety defect recall filing made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning.
Ranger Pickup Truck Visor Recall
Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have their vehicle inspected for history of a B14AA-11 Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). Vehicles with this DTC history will have their sun visor wiring harness inspected for evidence of damage. Wiring harnesses with damage will be replaced. All vehicles will receive a Body Control Module (BCM) software update that will turn off sun visor lamp power after detecting a threshold count of B14AA DTC occurrences and prevent future short circuits. There will be no charge for this service as required by Federal Safety regulations.
Bronco Transmission Recall
Ford Motor is also recalling 2021-2025 model year Bronco SUVs. The transmission to transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines. Customers may notice a grinding or clunking noise prior to loss of motive power or loss of park pawl function.
“On affected vehicles, the transmission-to-transfer case joint may be misaligned due to an incorrectly performed previous repair, which could lead to premature wear of the transmission output shaft splines and transfer case input splines. If the splines on the transmission output shaft or transfer case are worn such that they do not have sufficient spline engagement to transfer torque. …Loss of motor power while driving or vehicle rollaway can increase the risk of a crash.”
Dealers will inspect the transmission to transfer case joint and replace the transmission and transfer case as necessary, free of charge as required by law. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S26. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall are searchable at NHTSA.gov.
F-59 and F-53 Recreational Vehicle Wheel Loss Recall and Brake Recall
Ford is also recalling model year 2025-2026 F-59 and F-53 vehicles (NHTSA 26V235 or 26V-235). The front axle hub assembly may be missing the spindle nut and cotter pin. “The customer may experience noise/vibration harshness (NVH) concerns and illumination of the anti-lock brake system (ABS) cluster lamp prior to damage to brake system or wheel detachment. If the vehicle is driven with missing front axle hub spindle nut, a degradation in brake system integrity may result in a possible rotor fracture, damage to brake caliper bracket, or loss of the front wheel.
Spindle nut and cotter pin installation and subsequent inspection may have been missed during a period of manual installation at the assembly plant while the normal automated installation tool was out of service.
Dealers will inspect and replace the front axle spindle nut and cotter pin as necessary, free of charge as required by law. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in July 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S27. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall are searchable on NHTSA.gov.
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.