Ford bulletin RCM-26.4.2.1
Ford filed this with NHTSA as a over-the-air update dated Jul 30, 2026, received May 1, 2026, about the seat belts — 5 documents under this number: RCM-26.4.2.1 Exped & Nav, RCM-26.4.2.1 Transit, RCM-26.4.2.1 SuperDuty, RCM-26.4.2.1 F-150 and more. It names 9 model years (2025–2026). A over-the-air update is not a safety recall — there is no NHTSA campaign number and no federal requirement — but it is usually work the manufacturer pays for on the vehicles it names; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationQuality improvements include: -Updates the Restraint Control Module to prevent a potential internal fault that may cause a warning light to illuminate for one key cycle
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCM-26.4.2.1 Exped & Nav | Over-the-air update | Jul 30, 2026 | 11035623 | PDF, 22 KB |
| RCM-26.4.2.1 Transit | Over-the-air update | Jul 7, 2026 | 11034985 | PDF, 21 KB |
| RCM-26.4.2.1 SuperDuty | Over-the-air update | May 7, 2026 | 11032714 | PDF, 22 KB |
| RCM-26.4.2.1 F-150 | Over-the-air update | Apr 30, 2026 | 11031921 | PDF, 21 KB |
| RCM-26.4.2.1 Explorer | Over-the-air update | Apr 29, 2026 | 11031922 | PDF, 22 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2026 Ford F-550 SD.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Ford RCM-26.4.2.1 a recall?
No. A over-the-air update is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the RCM-26.4.2.1 repair free?
A over-the-air update is usually paid by the manufacturer on the vehicles it names, within the terms and time limit the document sets; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
Which vehicles does RCM-26.4.2.1 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 9 model years: 2026 Ford Expedition, 2026 Ford Explorer, 2025 Ford Explorer, 2026 Ford F-150, 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2026 Ford F-350 Super Duty and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.