- Vehicles
- 561
- Built between
- May 2019 – Feb 2026
- Models
- 2
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 30 March 2026
- Repaired
- 32%
- Unrepaired
- 371
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between May 2019 and February 2026. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2020-2026 Ford ExplorerBuilt June 2019 to January 2026
- 2020-2026 Lincoln AviatorBuilt May 2019 to February 2026
Repair progress
371 of 561 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q2 2026.
32% repaired — 177 of 561 reported
- Owners not reachable
- 13
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 2020-2026 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The seat belt anchor bolts at the second-row outer seating positions may be improperly secured.
What could happen
A loose seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
What gets fixed
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.
Parts involved
- Outer Belt Assembly ScrewW505275-S439Second Row Outer Seat Belt Assembly Screw
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 builtMay 2019 to February 2026
- Recall reported to NHTSA17 March 2026
- Owners notified30 March 2026
- Latest repair reportQ2 2026 — 32% 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 17 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 26C18. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 19, 2026.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 26C18
- Recalling manufacturer
- Ford Motor Company
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 210
- 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.