Ford Motor Company has issued a massive recall in the U.S. for over 4.3 million pickup trucks and SUVs over a software error that may cause trailer brakes and exterior lights not to function.
The recall covers a variety of models, including 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, 2024-2026 Ranger and 2022-2026 Maverick pickups, as well as 2022-2026 Expedition and 2022-2026 Lincoln Navigator SUVs. 2026 E-Transit all-electric vans are also part of the recall.
Trailer Brakes and Lights May Stop Working
So what do all these vehicles have in common? According to the recall report Ford submitted to the NHTSA on February 20, this is about the integrated trailer module (ITRM) that may lose communication with the vehicle.
In case that happens, it can have serious consequences, possibly causing the trailer to lose brake and turn signal lights, or lose only the brake function. “Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash,” the recall report states.
As a result, the affected vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
Ford says the potential number of potentially affected vehicles is 4,380,609, with the bulk of them being F-150 (2.3 million), F-250 Super Duty (1.13 million), and Maverick (over 412,100) pickups; the number of Ranger vehicles affected is almost 130,000. As for the SUVs, there are over 317,000 Expedition and 75,000 Navigator potentially affected units. The E-Transit van has the lowest number of potentially affected vehicles—over 13,100.
The Fix Is a Software Update, Either at Dealers or Over-The-Air
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Ford says the issue is a software vulnerability within the ITRM that allows for a potential “race condition” to occur between the ITRM and the CAN Standby Control bit (STBCC) during initial power-up. If this condition occurs, the module will be powered on but unable to communicate with the vehicle.
In case that happens, customers will see a “Trailer brake module fault” pop-up message on the instrument panel cluster (IPC), and the turn signal telltale will fast flash. A “Blind Spot Assist System fault” message may also appear on the IPC. The trailer module manufacturer is Horizon Global Inc., based in Mexico.
The fix will consist of updating the integrated trailer module software either at Ford dealers or through over-the-air (OTA) updates, depending on vehicle compatibility. Both types of updates will be free of charge for owners, who will be notified by mail if their vehicle is affected starting March 17, 2026. Beginning on the same date, owners will also be able to search their VINs on the NHTSA.gov website.
Ford’s number for the recall is 26C10; the NHTSA ID number is 26V104000.
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