# Ford Motor Company: Incorrectly Installed Piston Circlips (26V205000)

**Recall Urgency Score:** 20/100

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Subject | Incorrectly Installed Piston Circlips |
| NHTSA ID | 26V205000 |
| Manufacturer campaign | 26S23 |
| Recall type | Vehicle |
| Component | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING |
| Units potentially affected | 278 |
| Do not drive | No |
| Park outside | No |
| Defect | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage, leading to a loss of drive power. |
| Consequence | An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. |
| Remedy | Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine 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 26S23. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026. |

## Why this score
- 278 units affected.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls, via data.transportation.gov (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V205000). Last refreshed: 2026-11-03T18:08:10.172Z.
Recall data comes from NHTSA and is summarized automatically; check the official notice and VIN lookup before acting. Informational only.