Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator Recall: Unexpected Seat Movement
Certain 2025–2027 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs may have unintended driver-seat movement. See affected vehicles and the two-step repair.
Ford is recalling 76,748 vehicles, including certain 2025–2027 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs, because an unoccupied driver’s seat may recline unexpectedly during actions such as remote unlocking or remote starting. The seat back could trap a second-row occupant and cause injury. The revised report for campaign 26V470000 includes 2025 vehicles and a lower total than the original filing.
Which vehicles are included?
- Ford Explorer: 2025–2027
- Lincoln Aviator: 2025–2027
These are the model-year groups listed for the campaign; only certain vehicles within them are affected.
- NHTSA recall ID: 26V470000
- Potentially affected: 76,748
- Initial report received: July 21, 2026.
Why the recall matters
Unexpected movement of the driver’s seat back may trap a second-row occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
The official recall report provides the vehicle and defect details.
Repair and owner notification
Ford’s revised report says dealers will update the driver’s seat module to disable the seat-back memory movement. The standard power switches remain available for adjusting the seat back. A companion customer satisfaction program will replace the motor and restore the memory feature at no cost when available. Owners should ask their dealer which work is available for their vehicle.
Owner notification: Owner notification letters mailed September 3, 2026, according to the current NHTSA campaign record.
What owners should do
Use the official NHTSA VIN recall lookup and contact the manufacturer or an authorized dealer to confirm whether this campaign applies to your vehicle and what service is available. A matching make, model and year alone does not establish that an individual vehicle is affected.
Explorer and Aviator owners should also review the separate transmission and rollaway recall and check each campaign independently by VIN.
September 16, 2026 update
The revised official report lists 76,748 vehicles and includes model year 2025. The original article listed 79,579 vehicles from 2026–2027. Repair and owner-notification information has also been updated.
Current NHTSA campaign data for 26V470000, checked September 16, 2026, supports the current campaign status above. The linked manufacturer report records the filing at its submission date.
Need a fuller vehicle history?
VINsmart offers paid vehicle-history reports. For current recall status and no-cost repair eligibility, use NHTSA or your vehicle manufacturer.
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Sources used for this report.
References checked September 16, 2026.
To check a specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN recall lookup.
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