2026 Ford Explorer, 2026 Lincoln Aviator recall: Inoperative Defrosting and Defogging System
Report received by NHTSA: March 31, 2026.
Built by the Tribune's code from NHTSA's official records. No AI wrote this page. Updated Nov. 4, 2026.
- What's recalled
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Lincoln Aviator and Explorer vehicles. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system may fail, which can cause the defrosting and defogging system to become inoperative.
- The risk
An inoperative windshield defrosting and defogging system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Who's affected
55 vehicles potentially affected, according to NHTSA. Models: 2026 Ford Explorer, 2026 Lincoln Aviator.
- Compared with
Ford Motor Company has 84 NHTSA recalls in 2026 so far, compared with 153 in all of 2025.
Counted by the Tribune from NHTSA's records since Nov. 1, 2016.
- Before this
578 earlier NHTSA recalls by Ford Motor Company since Nov. 1, 2016; the 5 most recent:
- March 31, 2026 2025-2026 Ford Bronco Sport, 2025-2026 Ford Maverick recall: Front Passenger Air Bag May Not Deploy/FMVSS 208
- March 19, 2026 2022-2025 Lincoln Navigator, 2024-2025 Lincoln Nautilus, 2025 Ford Explorer and 1 more model recall: Loss of Rearview Camera Image and ADAS Features
- March 17, 2026 2020-2026 Ford Explorer, 2020-2026 Lincoln Aviator recall: Improperly Secured Seat Belt Anchors
- March 17, 2026 2020-2022 Ford F-250 SD, 2020-2022 Ford F-350 SD, 2020-2022 Ford F-450 SD and 3 more models recall: High Pressure Fuel Pump May Fail
- March 17, 2026 2025-2026 Ford Maverick recall: Moonroof Glass Panel May Detach
Counted by the Tribune from NHTSA's records since Nov. 1, 2016.
- What to do and when
Dealers will inspect and secure the instrument panel joints as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S22. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 3, 2026.
NHTSA's record, word for word
- Check it yourself
NHTSA's VIN lookup shows whether a specific vehicle has an open recall.
Models in this recall
- Ford Explorer 2026
- Lincoln Aviator 2026
The record as NHTSA published it
| NHTSA recall number | 26V202000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Recall type | Vehicle |
| Component | VISIBILITY |
| Report received by NHTSA | March 31, 2026 |
| Potentially affected | 55 vehicles |
| Manufacturer's recall number | 26S22 |
| “Do not drive” warning | No |
| Fire risk when parked (“park outside”) | No |
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall records (public domain). NHTSA's record