A sun visor started a fire inside a 2024 Ford Ranger last October. That one incident triggered an investigation, four field reports, and a recall covering 140,201 Rangers across three model years. Ford filed the campaign, number 26S29, on April 25, 2026. Owner letters start going out tomorrow.
What Went Wrong
The sun visor and headliner wiring harnesses in 2024 through 2026 Rangers may be improperly positioned or wrapped in tape that's too thick. Ford's A-pillar has a sheet metal opening the harnesses need to pass through. When the tape is too thick, it doesn't pass cleanly. When the routing isn't tightly controlled, the harness presses against a metal edge. Either way, insulation wears through. A short develops. And a short in a wire bundle inside your door pillar can produce smoke, melting, or fire.
Ford traced the problem to assembly controls that weren't strict enough: how the wiring is routed and how thick the protective tape wrapping can be. The failure mode is boring. The result isn't.
Between July and September 2025, Ford found four vehicles in the US with the defect. One had caught fire. Three showed scorching or smoke damage near the sun visor lamp circuit. Ford received its first field report in October 2025 and filed the recall April 25, 2026. No injuries or accidents. But Ford also told owners to park outside and away from structures until the repair is done, a precaution the company doesn't include in every recall notice.
Who's Affected
All 2024, 2025, and 2026 Ford Ranger pickups are included. 140,201 trucks total. Notification goes out in three phases:
| Model Year | Notification Week | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Ford Ranger | Week of May 31, 2026 | Phase 1 |
| 2026 Ford Ranger | Week of June 29, 2026 | Phase 2 |
| 2024 Ford Ranger | Week of June 27, 2026 | Phase 3 |
You don't need to wait for your letter. Ford customer service is at 1-866-436-7332. You can also check your VIN now at nhtsa.gov/recalls, where this campaign appears as NHTSA #26V238.
The Repair
Dealers will inspect the A-pillar wiring harness. If it's damaged, they'll replace it. Every affected truck gets a body control module (BCM) software update regardless of whether physical damage is found. The update cuts power to the sun visor lamp circuit if it detects repeated electrical faults. That's the backstop: even a borderline harness that passes visual inspection should be caught by the software before it fails into a fire.
All repairs are free. No labor charge, no parts charge.
Ford documented four vehicles with A-pillar wiring defects in 2024-2026 Rangers. One caught fire. Three showed scorching or smoke damage near the sun visor lamp circuit. The recall covers 140,201 trucks. Ford is telling owners to park outside and away from structures until the repair is completed.
If You're Shopping for a Used 2024-2026 Ranger
A used 2024 Ranger sells in the $22,000-$25,000 range per KBB, with well-optioned examples above $40,000. These are recent trucks and they're moving. The recall doesn't make a Ranger a bad buy; it's a serious defect with a clear, free fix. But it changes how you should approach a purchase.
Check the VIN before you sign anything. If the recall is open on the truck you're considering, you have options: ask the dealer to complete the repair before delivery, get it in writing that they'll schedule it, or verify the work was already done at another store. A truck with an unresolved fire-risk recall sitting on a lot is not one to take delivery of uninspected.
The NHTSA recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows you whether a specific VIN has open campaigns and whether any have been completed. The lookup is free and takes about 30 seconds.
One caveat: phased notifications mean some 2024 Ranger owners won't get letters until late June. That's two months of trucks changing hands at auctions and private sales without every buyer knowing the open status. The VIN check matters more now, not less.
If you're tracking a Ranger or any other vehicle on your shortlist, CarScout monitors open recall status and alerts you when campaigns are resolved, so you don't have to remember to check every few weeks.
FAQ
What is Ford recall 26S29? Recall 26S29 covers 140,201 Ford Ranger pickups from model years 2024, 2025, and 2026. Wiring harnesses in the A-pillar area may be improperly routed or wrapped in tape that's too thick, which damages wire insulation and causes an electrical short. That short can cause fire inside the cab. All repairs are free at any Ford dealership.
Should I park my 2024-2026 Ford Ranger outside? Ford's guidance is to park affected Rangers outside and away from structures until the recall repair is done. That's a precaution Ford doesn't always issue. The risk is low but documented: one of the four known vehicles caught fire, and three showed visible scorching. Don't wait for your notification letter to call your dealer and schedule the inspection.
If I'm buying a used 2024 or 2025 Ranger, does this recall matter? Yes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before completing any purchase. If the recall is open, ask the dealer to complete the repair before delivery or confirm the timeline in writing. The fix is free, but don't take delivery of a vehicle with an open fire-risk recall without a clear plan for getting it resolved.