Ford issued two separate recalls this week covering a combined 158,664 vehicles across the Mustang, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer and Ranger lineups. Both recalls involve potential loss of drive power but stem from completely different problems. One is a wiring harness issue. The other is a manufacturing defect in the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine’s pistons.
Dealers have already been notified on both Ford recall campaigns. Owner notification letters go out this week.
Ford Recall 1 — 148,663 Mustangs With Wiring Harness Ground Failure
The larger of the two Ford recall campaigns covers 148,663 Mustang muscle cars from the 2024 through 2026 model years. The problem sits in the engine compartment’s wiring harness ground eyelets — specifically the heat shrink adhesive applied to those eyelets.
Here’s what goes wrong. The adhesive causes the eyelet to bend under normal vehicle vibration over time. That bending reduces the eyelet’s service life until it fractures. Depending on which ground eyelets break, the consequences range from inconvenient to dangerous. In some cases the car loses drive power entirely. In others the headlights stop working. The windshield washer fluid pump, air conditioning and engine cooling fan can also fail depending on which eyelets are affected.
Ford’s fix replaces the wiring harness ground eyelets with a revised design that doesn’t use the same adhesive approach. Owner notification letters for this Ford recall are expected to be completed this week.
Ford Recall 2 — 10,001 Vehicles With EcoBoost Piston Cracks
The second Ford recall is smaller in number but more mechanically serious. It covers 10,001 vehicles from the 2026 model year across five nameplates — Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Ranger and Mustang — all equipped with Ford’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine.
The root cause is a manufacturing defect at the piston supplier’s facility. A loose nut on a machining tool allowed the tool to periodically strike the pistons’ nickel-resistant insert — called the Ni-Ring — during production. That impact cracked the intermetallic bond between the Ni-Ring insert and the surrounding aluminum. The result is piston domes with crater cracks that can fail under normal engine operation.
Owners might notice the problem through a check engine light appearing, an engine misfire or an unusual engine noise. Some owners may notice nothing until the engine fails. As of August 12 Ford was aware of 22 engine failures at its own plants and two field failures potentially connected to the same defect.
The remedy for this Ford recall requires inspection of every vehicle in the population. Any car found to have pistons with crater cracks gets a complete engine long block replacement — not a piston swap, a full long block. Dealers have been notified. Owner remedy notifications are expected by late December.
Which Vehicles Are Covered by Each Ford Recall
| Recall | Vehicles | Model Years | Units | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiring harness | Mustang | 2024-2026 | 148,663 | Ground eyelet fracture |
| EcoBoost piston | Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Ranger, Mustang | 2026 | 10,001 | Piston dome crater cracks |
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ford Recall
What vehicles are covered by the Ford recall wiring harness campaign?
148,663 Mustangs — 2024, 2025 and 2026 model years. Ground eyelets in the engine compartment wiring harness fracture over time because heat shrink adhesive causes bending under normal vehicle vibration. When they break, the car can lose drive power, headlights, AC or the engine cooling fan depending on which eyelets fail.
What vehicles are covered by the Ford recall piston campaign?
The 2026 Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Ranger and Mustang are all in this Ford recall — 10,001 vehicles equipped with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost. A loose nut on a machining tool at the piston supplier periodically struck the pistons during production and left crater cracks in the piston domes.
What are the symptoms of the EcoBoost piston defect?
A check engine light, engine misfire or unusual engine noise are the most likely indicators. Some owners may experience no warning before engine failure occurs. Ford was aware of 22 failures at its plants and two field failures as of August 12.
What is Ford doing to fix the piston Ford recall?
Ford inspects every vehicle in the recall population for piston crater cracks. Any car that fails inspection receives a complete engine long block replacement with crack-free pistons installed. Dealers have been notified. Owner remedy notifications go out in late December.
What is Ford doing to fix the wiring harness Ford recall?
Replacing the wiring harness ground eyelets with a revised design that addresses the adhesive bending issue. Owner notifications are being completed this week.
How do I check if my vehicle is included in either Ford recall?
Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov on the recalls lookup page. Both Ford recall campaigns are filed with NHTSA — the wiring harness recall number is 26V547 and the piston recall is 26V548.
Can either issue cause a car to lose drive power completely?
Yes. The wiring harness ground eyelet fracture can cause complete loss of drive power depending on which eyelets fail. The piston crater crack defect can result in engine failure — also causing loss of drive power. Both Ford recall campaigns were issued specifically because of that risk.
When will owners receive notification letters?
Wiring harness Ford recall — owner notifications being completed this week. EcoBoost piston Ford recall — owner notifications planned this week with remedy notifications expected in late December.
Two Ford recall campaigns. One wiring problem affecting nearly 149,000 Mustangs. One manufacturing defect affecting 10,001 vehicles across five model lines with a fix serious enough to require complete engine replacement in affected cars. Dealers already know. Owner letters are going out now for the wiring issue and in late December for the piston remedy. Anyone concerned about either Ford recall should check their VIN at nhtsa.gov before waiting for the letter.
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