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Federal filingsHome›Recalls› 26V117000
NHTSA campaign 26V117000 · manufacturer recall 26S14

2020–2022 Ford and Lincoln: visibility recall

Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

high 604,533 vehicles affected

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Lincoln Corsair vehicles. The windshield wiper motor may fail and prevent the windshield wipers from operating properly. Risk Windshield wipers that fail to operate properly can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the front wiper motors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S14. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.

Reported to NHTSA Mar 3, 2026 by Ford Motor Company.

What that means, in plain English

Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wording

Wiper motor failure can eliminate forward visibility in rain or snow, materially increasing crash risk, placing it in the high category as a safety-system failure that can contribute to a crash.

Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V117000

Vehicles built Jul 6, 2020 to Dec 15, 2021 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2020 Ford EscapeCompact SUVF25
2021 Ford EscapeCompact SUVF21
2022 Ford EscapeCompact SUVF21
2020 Ford ExplorerLarge SUVF35
2021 Ford ExplorerLarge SUVF27
2022 Ford ExplorerLarge SUVF25
2020 Lincoln AviatorLarge SUVF30
2021 Lincoln AviatorLarge SUVF28
2022 Lincoln AviatorLarge SUVF22
2020 Lincoln CorsairCompact SUVF16
2021 Lincoln CorsairCompact SUVF23
2022 Lincoln CorsairCompact SUVF20

Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.

Campaign 26V117000 · the manufacturer calls it 26S14

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.

Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.

Photo: Taiga Miyamoto / Unsplash

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is 26S14 the same recall as 26V117000?

Yes. 26S14 is the number Ford Motor Company uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 26V117000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Jul 6, 2020 to Dec 15, 2021. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. This campaign was filed without a repair available — Ford Motor Company says so in the text above, and expected one by November 2026.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.