Ford Motor Company: Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust
Ford Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Jul 21, 2026 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 76,748. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles. An unoccupied driver's seat may recline unintentionally during certain scenarios, such as remote unlock or remote start.
The risk
Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will disable the driver seat module (DSM) feature until parts are available. Once available, the motor will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S53.
6 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Ford Explorer | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2027 Lincoln Aviator | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 Ford Explorer | 44 | 14 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026 Lincoln Aviator | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 Ford Explorer | 107 | 20 | 0 | 8 |
| 2025 Lincoln Aviator | 18 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 26V470000.
Full record for the 2027 Ford Explorer → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →