2024-2026 Ford Ranger Curtain Air Bag Recall (25V541)
Ford Motor Company · 100,900 vehicles · Reported August 22, 2025
Ford Motor Company is recalling 100,900 2024-2026 Ford Ranger vehicles. The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation." Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V541 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V541000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 25C41 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | August 22, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2024-2026 Ford Ranger |
| Units affected | 100,900 |
| Component | Air Bags > Side / Window > Curtain |
| Safety risk | Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2024-2026 Ford Ranger in recall 25V541?
The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles. The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Is it safe to drive a 2024-2026 Ranger with recall 25V541?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Ranger shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the curtain, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V541?
Recall 25V541 covers 100,900 vehicles: 2024-2026 Ford Ranger.
NHTSA lists 100,900 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2026 | Ford | Ranger |
What is the fix for the Ranger curtain air bag recall?
Yes. Dealers will install protective shields, free of charge.
Dealers will install protective shields, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C41.
When was recall 25V541 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V541 to NHTSA on August 22, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as September 26, 2025.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| August 22, 2025 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V541000. |
| September 26, 2025 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 13 months ago. If your Ranger was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Ranger is part of recall 25V541?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V541 is open on your Ranger, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 25V541000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Ranger owners do about recall 25V541?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V541000 applies to your Ranger.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Ford dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the curtain happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Ranger owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 132 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 5 of them about the air bags.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the air bags have been filed since recall 25V541 was reported (4) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 132 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 5 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2024 Ford Ranger: 84 complaints in total, 3 about the air bags
- 2025 Ford Ranger: 42 complaints in total, 2 about the air bags
- 2026 Ford Ranger: 6 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
There used to be no sufficient clearance between the drivers knee airbag and the brake pedal. I wear steel toe boots for work and my foot just barely fits between the brake pedal and the airbag box. Several times it’s gotten hung up and I had trouble getting to the brake.
2024 Ford Ranger owner, TN, NHTSA complaint 11648697, filed March 17, 2025
Why hasn't Ford found replacement parts for this airbag defect. I don't feel safe driving a car that may cause more injury to my person if I'm in an accident. This should fixed immediately. Or I would like to return my vehicle for full refund or get a new one with out safety issues.
2024 Ford Ranger owner, AZ, NHTSA complaint 11684270, filed September 1, 2025
I received a letter several months ago for: Manufacturer Recall Number25C41 NHTSA Recall Number25V541 I called the Ford dealership to schedule the recall repair and they told me parts were not available. I explained to them I had a recall letter stating parts were now available and to schedule the repair.
2024 Ford Ranger owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11711896, filed January 19, 2026
Can recall 25V541 make my Ranger a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 25V541000 does not automatically make your Ranger a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Air bag defects are hidden until the moment they matter most. A recall repair may replace an inflator or sensor, but if warning lights return or the system faults again, that is a repeat repair for a safety defect.
A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2024-2026 Ford Ranger has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Ranger been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Ford Ranger recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V541
Is the 25V541000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed September 26, 2025.
How do I know if my Ranger is part of recall 25V541000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
What if my air bag light stays on after the recall repair?
Go back to the dealer. A warning light that returns means the system may not deploy correctly, and the visit is another repair attempt for a safety defect.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V541000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Ford. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.