2026 Ford F-250 SD Axle Shaft Recall (25V866)

Recall 25V866 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2026 Ford F-250 SD in recall 25V866?

The right rear axle shaft may have been improperly heat-treated during manufacturing and may break.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Super Duty F-250 and F-350 vehicles. The right rear axle shaft may have been improperly heat-treated during manufacturing and may break.

Is it safe to drive a 2026 F-250 SD with recall 25V866?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A broken rear axle shaft can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: A broken rear axle shaft can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your F-250 SD shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the axle shaft, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 25V866?

Recall 25V866 covers 6,819 vehicles: 2026 Ford F-250 SD; 2026 Ford F-350 SD.

NHTSA lists 6,819 vehicles in this campaign, built October 2, 2025 to November 5, 2025. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the F-250 SD axle shaft recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect the right rear axle shaft date code and replace the axle shaft as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect the right rear axle shaft date code and replace the axle shaft as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 15, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD8. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 15, 2025.

When was recall 25V866 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 25V866 to NHTSA on December 12, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as January 15, 2026.

This recall was filed 9 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 34 days. If your F-250 SD was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my F-250 SD is part of recall 25V866?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V866 is open on your F-250 SD, 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 25V866000. 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 F-250 SD owners do about recall 25V866?

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 25V866000 applies to your F-250 SD.
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 axle shaft 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 problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are F-250 SD owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 4 of them about the transmission.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the transmission have been filed since recall 25V866 was reported (4) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 16 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 4 of them involve the transmission. 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.

• 2026 Ford F-250 SD: 9 complaints in total, 1 about the transmission
• 2026 Ford F-350 SD: 7 complaints in total, 3 about the transmission

Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):

After the vehicle was jumpstarted the vehicle failed to correctly enter gear- when shifting into reverse it instead rolled forward downhill.

2026 Ford F-250 SD owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11742732, filed June 8, 2026

Recall service not available right now. We have a remedy but parts are not available right now. We will inform you when the service is available. Or, you can contact your dealer.Description On your vehicle it is possible that the trailer module trm may lose communication at vehicle start-up.

2026 Ford F-350 SD owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11744637, filed June 16, 2026

I purchased my 2026 Ford F-350 Platinum from Sandy Sansing Ford Lincoln on June 11, 2026. I was not informed that the vehicle has two unrepaired/unresolved Recall's. Both of the recalls were issued in March, 2026. The Dealership had this vehicle on their lot from September, 2025 to the date that I purchased it.

2026 Ford F-350 SD owner, MS, NHTSA complaint 11747451, filed June 30, 2026

Can recall 25V866 make my F-250 SD 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.

Owners often ask whether this axle shaft recall means their F-250 SD qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Transmission problems tend to come back. Harsh shifts, slipping, delayed engagement and sudden loss of drive power often return after a dealer reflashes software or replaces a part, and each return trip to the dealer is another repair attempt on the record.

This is not the first recall for this problem. When a manufacturer has to recall the same axle shaft again, that suggests the earlier fix did not work. If your 2026 Ford F-250 SD has had this repair more than once, keep every repair order.

Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 23V595000.

For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the F-250 SD 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 25V866