2025 Ford Ranger Dashboard Recall (25V678)

Recall 25V678 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2025 Ford Ranger in recall 25V678?

The instrument panel top cover may prevent the passenger air bag from deploying as intended.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger vehicles. The instrument panel top cover may prevent the passenger air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Is it safe to drive a 2025 Ranger with recall 25V678?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

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 dashboard, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V678?

Recall 25V678 covers 405 vehicles: 2025 Ford Ranger.

NHTSA lists 405 vehicles in this campaign, built September 9, 2025 to September 10, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Ranger dashboard recall?

Yes. Dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge.

Dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C54. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.

When was recall 25V678 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V678 to NHTSA on October 9, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as November 26, 2025.

This recall was filed 11 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 1 days. 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 25V678?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V678 is open on your Ranger, it will be listed there.

The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2025 Ranger vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.

What should Ranger owners do about recall 25V678?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V678000 applies to your Ranger.
2. Call a Ford dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the dashboard happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. 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 42 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 2 of them about the body, doors and seats.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the body, doors and seats have been filed since recall 25V678 was reported (2) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 42 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 2 of them involve the body, doors and seats. 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.

• 2025 Ford Ranger: 42 complaints in total, 2 about the body, doors and seats

A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):

The head rest leans out so far at the top that my chin hits my chest. It doesn't matter if I try to lean the seat back of forth. Please evaluate the head rest as I believe it will cause serious injury as there is no back and forth adjustment.

2025 Ford Ranger owner, WA, NHTSA complaint 11697252, filed November 3, 2025

Driving home from the dealer I would hear a knock coming from the rear seat area, each time I stopped at a light or stop sign. I thought the jack was loose. When I arrived at home I went to check the jack and realized the seat back in the rear seat was not latched.

2025 Ford Ranger owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11723798, filed March 12, 2026

Can recall 25V678 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.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Door latch, seat and body structure defects can affect safety in a crash and everyday use. If the recall repair does not solve the problem, the repeat visit is part of your record.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2025 Ford Ranger has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Ranger went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.

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.

Frequently asked questions about recall 25V678