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NHTSA campaign 26V415000

2024–2026 Ford and Lincoln: back over prevention recall

A vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

minor66,383 vehicles affected

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
ProblemFord Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2027 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid and 2025-2027 Explorer Hybrid vehicles. A software error may prevent the vehicle from making the pedestrian warning sound at certain speeds.RiskA vehicle that does not produce a warning sound may fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.FixNote: This is an expansion of Recall 25V691. Any vehicles previously repaired under 25V691 must have the new remedy completed. Ford will release an over-the-air (OTA) update or dealers will update the APIM software, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will replace the digital signal processing module in Nautilus Hybrid vehicles equipped with 28 speakers, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S51. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 7, 2026.

Reported to NHTSA Jun 30, 2026 by Ford Motor Company, owners notified Aug 7, 2026.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V415000

Vehicles built from Apr 4, 2023 onward — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2025 Ford ExplorerLarge SUVF22
2026 Ford ExplorerLarge SUVF14
2024 Lincoln NautilusCompact SUVF9
2025 Lincoln NautilusCompact SUVF8
2026 Lincoln NautilusCompact SUVA2

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

Filed documents

  • Defect report PDF — The manufacturer's own filing to NHTSA describing the defect, the risk and the affected build range.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 26V415000 · the manufacturer calls it 26S51

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

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 from Apr 4, 2023 onward. 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. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

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.