Ford Explorer Engine Failure Recall — When the Engine Can Quit on You
Ford has acknowledged the defect to federal regulators: NHTSA campaign 26V343000 covers certain Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles whose engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power. The remedy is not a software patch — Ford will replace the engine long block. When a manufacturer concedes a defect that can take away your power on the road and requires replacing the heart of the engine, RockPoint Law's attorneys pursue a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement.
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Ford is recalling certain 2025–2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles because the engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power (NHTSA 26V343000, reported May 27, 2026). Ford warns that a sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. The remedy is significant: dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge — effectively swapping the core of the engine. A recall is the manufacturer admitting in writing that the vehicle was sold defective. When the fix is a full long-block replacement on a vehicle barely a model year old, the question of whether you got the vehicle you paid for is fair to ask. If Ford can't make it right in a reasonable time, or the replacement doesn't hold, your state's Lemon Law and the federal warranty acts may entitle you to a refund, a replacement vehicle, or cash, and RockPoint Law pursues that claim directly against Ford.
The official NHTSA filing
| NHTSA Campaign | 26V343000 |
|---|---|
| Date Reported | May 27, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles Affected | 1,536 (all models in the campaign) |
| Models Covered | Ford Explorer, Ford Ranger, and Ford Bronco |
| Model Years | 2025–2026 |
| Defect | The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power |
| Manufacturer Remedy | Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge |
| Ford Customer Service | 1-866-436-7332 (Ford recall no. 26S35) |
| Safety Severity | Crash Risk |
Can I keep driving while I wait for the repair?
NHTSA has not issued a Do Not Drive or Park Outside warning for this recall. You can generally keep driving while you wait for the free repair, but you should not ignore it: A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. Schedule the recall service as soon as parts are available, and keep every repair order in case the fix does not hold.
An engine that can fail, and the long block that replaces it
Most engine recalls involve a sensor, a software calibration, or a single component. This one is different. Ford concedes plainly that “the engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power”, and the remedy reflects how serious that is. Ford is not adjusting a part; dealers will replace the engine long block, the assembly that contains the block, crankshaft, pistons, and cylinder heads — the core of the engine itself.
Ford's filing states the consequence in safety terms: “a sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.” An engine that quits while you're merging onto a highway, climbing a grade, or pulling into traffic leaves you without the power to get out of the way. That is a control-and-safety problem, not just a reliability one.
What owners should weigh is the timing. These are 2025–2026 vehicles — some only months off the lot, and Ford's answer is to replace the heart of the engine. By filing recall 26V343000, Ford has formally acknowledged these engines may fail. When a brand-new vehicle needs its engine's core replaced, whether the repaired vehicle ever lives up to what you bought is exactly the question a Lemon Law claim is built to test.
New Explorer facing an engine long-block replacement? A core engine repair on a months-old vehicle is the kind of substantial defect that most often turns a recall into a claim. Let our attorneys review your service history.
Free Case Review →Why a long-block replacement raises the stakes
Owners are right to feel that a nearly new vehicle needing its engine's core replaced isn't the vehicle they paid for. That instinct is also the legal heart of a Lemon Law claim.
A recall obligates Ford to attempt a free repair — nothing more. It does not refund you, replace your Explorer, or compensate you for the time, diminished value, or lost confidence that come with a major engine repair on a new vehicle. A Lemon Law claim is your personal right to a real remedy when that repair comes up short or takes too long. A recall documents the problem; a claim is what makes the manufacturer pay for it.
State Lemon Laws and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act share three core requirements, and an engine-failure recall that calls for a long-block replacement helps satisfy the first two before you ever reach the dealer:
- A substantial defect — an engine that may fail and cause a loss of drive power — requiring replacement of the engine's core — strikes safety, value, and the basic use of the vehicle.
- The manufacturer's knowledge — recall 26V343000 is Ford's written admission, on the record, that these engines may fail.
- A reasonable number of failed repair attempts — this is the part you build — by documenting how long the vehicle is down for the long-block replacement, any prior engine symptoms, and whether the problem recurs after the swap.
Protect the vehicle, and the record
Owners who recover the most treat a major engine repair as evidence from day one. Here is the path that keeps your options open:
- Step 1 · Confirm
Verify your VIN and arrange the repair
Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or call Ford at 1-866-436-7332 (Ford recall 26S35). The remedy — a long-block replacement — is anticipated to become available in November 2026; ask the dealer about timing and a loaner while you wait.
- Step 2 · Document
Capture every engine symptom and day down
Log any stalling, power loss, warning lights, or rough running before the repair, and keep the repair order showing the long-block replacement, dates, mileage, and the recall number. For a major engine repair, time out of service and what was replaced are central to any later claim.
- Step 3 · Observe
Watch the new engine closely
After the long block is replaced, watch for any return of power loss, stalling, leaks, or new warning lights. A defect that reappears after the core of the engine has been replaced is among the strongest facts a claim can rest on — log the date, mileage, and symptom.
- Step 4 · Act
If Ford can't make it right, call counsel
If the replacement drags on, the engine problem returns, or you've lost the use of a nearly new vehicle for an unreasonable stretch, you may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash. That's when you hand the matter to RockPoint Law.
Down for weeks waiting on an engine long block? Time out of service on a new vehicle is compensable harm. Send us your service records and we'll tell you where you stand, free.
Talk to an Attorney →Ford Explorer engine recall & Lemon Law questions
Does the Explorer engine-failure recall automatically make my vehicle a lemon?
No. Recall 26V343000 is Ford conceding the engine may fail — strong evidence, but not the whole case. Whether your Explorer is a lemon depends on two more things: that the defect substantially impairs the vehicle, and that Ford can't put it right in a reasonable number of attempts or a reasonable time. An engine that needs its long block replaced on a nearly new vehicle, a long wait for the remedy, or a problem that returns after the swap is what tips it into a claim. We review your records and tell you if you've crossed that line.
What is a 'long block' replacement, and why does it matter?
The long block is the core of the engine — the block, crankshaft, pistons, and cylinder heads assembled together. Replacing it is one of the most extensive engine repairs there is, well beyond a part swap or software update. On a 2025–2026 vehicle, needing that repair is a strong indicator of a substantial defect, which is why it carries real weight in a Lemon Law analysis.
My Ranger or Bronco is in the same recall — does this apply to me?
Yes. NHTSA campaign 26V343000 covers certain 2025–2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles for the same engine-failure defect and the same long-block remedy. Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or call Ford at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall 26S35. If your VIN is included, the repair is free and the same Lemon Law analysis applies.
What does it cost to have RockPoint Law review my case?
Nothing to start. Your case review is free and confidential. In most Lemon Law and warranty matters the manufacturer pays attorney's fees if your claim succeeds, so you can pursue Ford without paying us out of pocket. Lemon Law eligibility depends on the specific facts of your case.
New Ford facing an engine replacement?
In a few minutes you'll know whether you may be owed a refund, a replacement, or a cash settlement. Free and confidential, no obligation.
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