Use cautionVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published March 31, 2026
Ford Mustang 2026: Engine Power Loss Risk
Ford recalls 2026 Mustangs with potential engine piston failure causing drive power loss. Owners must have engine inspected by dealer for missing or mis-installed circlips.
Ford is recalling certain 2026 Mustang vehicles because engine piston circlips may be incorrectly installed, which can cause engine damage and loss of drive power. This could increase crash risk during normal driving. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/82178-ford-mustang-2026-engine-power-loss-risk.
“Ford Mustang 2026: Engine Power Loss Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated August 17, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/82178-ford-mustang-2026-engine-power-loss-risk. Based on NHTSA recall #26V205000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V205000).
Ford Motor Company recalled certain 2026 Explorer and Mustang vehicles for an unexpected loss of drive power, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on March 31, 2026. Dealers will inspect and replace engines as necessary free of charge.
How to tell if you have it
Ford Explorer, 2026
Ford Mustang, 2026
What to do
Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
The hazard
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. The engine piston circlips may have been incorrectly installed during manufacturing, which can result in piston failure and engine damage.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Ford Motor Company has 641 other recalls on record since 2010-01-29. Other recent recalls of similar products include Ford 2021 Bronco Hard Top Recall (2026-10-13), 2026 Ford Ranger Recall (2026-09-22), and Ford Expedition 2025 Exterior Lighting Recall (2026-09-22). NHTSA has received 39 owner complaints for the 2026 FORD EXPLORER, with the latest dated 2026-10-04. NHTSA has received 8 owner complaints for the 2026 FORD MUSTANG, with the latest dated 2026-09-28.
How to tell if you have this one
This recall affects 2026 Ford Mustang vehicles. The specific VINs are listed on NHTSA.gov starting April 2, 2026, and owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2026.
Brand
Ford
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Inspect Engine
Dealers will inspect the engine for missing or mis-installed circlips and replace the engine as necessary at no cost.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
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.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
Owners were mailed letters 10 days after NHTSA received the defect report.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Owner letters mailed
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Take action
Contact Ford
We’ve drafted a message you can send Ford to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 26V205000 — Ford Mustang 2026: Engine Power Loss Risk
Hello,
I own a Ford Mustang 2026: Engine Power Loss Risk that is covered by recall 26V205000 from Ford.
The official recall notice states: 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.
I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this?
Thank you.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 17, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.