2024-2026 Ford Ranger Seat Fastener Recall (26V268)
Ford Motor Company · 179,698 vehicles · Reported April 28, 2026
Ford Motor Company is recalling 179,698 2024-2026 Ford Bronco; 2024-2026 Ford Ranger vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt. A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 26V268 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V268000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 26S30 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | April 28, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2024-2026 Ford Bronco; 2024-2026 Ford Ranger |
| Units affected | 179,698 |
| Component | Seats > Critical Fasteners |
| Safety risk | A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2024-2026 Ford Ranger in recall 26V268?
The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
Is it safe to drive a 2024-2026 Ranger with recall 26V268?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the critical fasteners.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V268?
Recall 26V268 covers 179,698 vehicles: 2024-2026 Ford Bronco; 2024-2026 Ford Ranger.
NHTSA lists 179,698 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 | Bronco |
| 2024-2026 | Ford | Ranger |
What is the fix for the Ranger seat fastener recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Fordâs number for this recall is 26S30. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 30, 2026.
When was recall 26V268 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 26V268 to NHTSA on April 28, 2026. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as May 22, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2025 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| April 28, 2026 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V268000. |
| May 22, 2026 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 5 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 26V268?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V268 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 26V268000. 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 26V268?
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 26V268000 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 critical fasteners 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 267 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 15 of them about the body, doors and seats.
Since recall 26V268 was reported on April 28, 2026, owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 1 of them (11%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the body, doors and seats and were received on or after April 28, 2026, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related body, doors and seats issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 267 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 15 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.
- 2024 Ford Ranger: 84 complaints in total, 5 about the body, doors and seats
- 2024 Ford Bronco: 75 complaints in total, 4 about the body, doors and seats
- 2025 Ford Bronco: 52 complaints in total, 2 about the body, doors and seats
- 2025 Ford Ranger: 42 complaints in total, 2 about the body, doors and seats
- 2026 Ford Bronco: 8 complaints in total, 1 about the body, doors and seats
- 2026 Ford Ranger: 6 complaints in total, 1 about the body, doors and seats
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
Description On your vehicle it is possible that the trailer module trm may lose communication at vehicle start-up. If a trm loss of communication occurs and a trailer is connected to the vehicle, trailer stop lamps and turn signal indicators will not function.
2026 Ford Ranger owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11744634, filed June 16, 2026
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 26V268 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.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 25V311000, 25V721000.
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 26V268
Did the recall 26V268 fix work?
Since recall 26V268 was reported on April 28, 2026, owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 1 of them (11%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed May 22, 2026.
Is the 26V268000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Ranger is part of recall 26V268000?
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.
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 26V268000 (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.