Ford Motor Company has announced a targeted safety recall for a small number of 2026 Ford Explorer SUVs after detecting a windshield bonding issue that could allow the windshield to detach in a collision. The recall is the latest in a series of actions addressing quality concerns with the 2026 Explorer, the flagship three-row SUV in Ford’s lineup and one of the best-selling sport utility vehicles in the United States.
According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected vehicles may have had inadequate application of the urethane bonding material between the windshield glass and the body of the vehicle during assembly.
In the event of a crash, an improperly bonded windshield could detach from the vehicle, potentially undermining the structure of the cabin and increasing the risk of injury to occupants.
A note on the NHTSA’s recall page:
“During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212, “Windshield Mounting.””
Ford’s internal quality control processes detected the problem during end-of-line testing at the company’s Chicago Assembly Plant, where the Explorer has been built since its transition to a unibody design in 2010.
The production issue was traced to an equipment failure that occurred over a brief two-day period in October 2025. The result was a batch of vehicles with windshields that did not meet the manufacturer’s bonding specifications.
Thanks to the defect being caught early, only eight 2026 Explorer SUVs are included in this recall. Ford is contacting owners directly and has arranged for each affected vehicle to have its windshield replaced free of charge by authorized dealers. NHTSA records show that owner notification letters began being mailed around January 26, 2026:
“Dealers will remove and replace the windshield, free charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 30, 2026… Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on January 22, 2026.”
In official recall documentation, Ford lists the reference number for this action as 26C02, with owners instructed to contact Ford customer service or visit a dealership to schedule the windshield replacement once they receive the letter.
This recall follows several other actions involving the 2026 Explorer. Earlier notices covered a potential trail hitch assembly problem that could allow the hitch to detach, visible air bubbles in the windshield glass that could reduce driver visibility, and an oil leak that posed a potential fire risk. In each of those cases, dealers will inspect and fix the condition at no cost to owners, according to NHTSA records.
The windshield air bubble recall in particular affected tens of thousands of vehicles across Ford and Lincoln models, including some 2025 and 2026 Explorers, Aviators, and Corsairs.
That earlier recall was issued after reports that the windshield laminate material might contain visible bubbles that could obscure the driver’s line of sight and fail to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205 for glazing materials.
Ford’s recent string of recalls has drawn scrutiny from industry analysts and consumer advocates. In 2025, the Blue Oval faced a higher-than-normal number of safety campaigns compared with many rivals.
Despite those numbers, company executives have responded publicly with assurances that enhanced quality control measures are producing improvements. Ford’s leadership has described a philosophy of stopping production whenever a defect is detected and addressing issues promptly to protect customers.
In interviews last year with automotive media, Ford’s operational leadership pointed to early data suggesting progress toward greater durability and fewer quality issues on new models. Those comments included comparisons with competitors known for strong initial quality performance.
Consumer safety experts emphasize that while recalls may alarm some buyers, the existence of a recall is not itself proof of overall poor quality. Recalls are required when a vehicle or component does not meet federal safety standards and may pose a risk in certain conditions.
In this case, Ford’s rapid identification of the problem limited the number of vehicles affected and ensured that the required remedy is straightforward and accessible.
