- Vehicles
- 35,772
- Built between
- Nov 2023 – Nov 2025
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 23 March 2026
- Repaired
- 84%
- Unrepaired
- 5,693
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between November 2023 and November 2025. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2025-2026 Ford ExplorerBuilt November 2023 to November 2025
Repair progress
5,693 of 35,772 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q2 2026.
84% repaired — 29,956 of 35,772 reported
- Owners not reachable
- 123
Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.
What the defect is
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."
What could happen
A headlight that turns incorrectly can result in increased glare to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
What gets fixed
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.
Parts involved
- Headlamp Control ModuleRB5T-14D067-DAHeadlamp Control Module Software
- Headlamp Control ModuleRB5T-14D067-GAHeadlamp Control Module Software
Part numbers are as filed by the manufacturer and are listed for reference. Your dealer will confirm the correct part for your vehicle.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtNovember 2023 to November 2025
- Recall reported to NHTSA3 March 2026
- Owners notified23 March 2026
- Latest repair reportQ2 2026 — 84% repaired
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 3 March 2026.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
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.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 26C12
- Recalling manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 108
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.