Ford is recalling 41,748 SUVs and heavy-duty pickups in the United States over a headlight defect that can wipe out a vehicle’s forward lighting without warning. The Ford Expedition recall headlights campaign covers select 2025–2027 Ford Expedition SUVs and 2026 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty trucks, as USA Today reported.
The defect involves a contaminated LED chip inside the headlight assemblies. When the chip fails, it can knock out the daytime running lights, parking lights, high beams or low beams — essentially the vehicle’s entire forward-lighting system, depending on which circuits are affected.
Ford Expedition Recall: Which Headlights Fail and Why
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety report cited by USA Today, the headlight assemblies may contain a contaminated LED chip that can cause a loss of daytime running lights, parking lights, high beams or low beams. A dashboard indicator light is designed to illuminate for customers experiencing inoperative low-beam and/or high-beam headlamps, alerting the driver that a failure has occurred.
Because the defect can reduce driver visibility — and make the vehicle harder for other drivers to see — the affected vehicles fail Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, which governs lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment, according to Ford Authority’s coverage. Noncompliance with FMVSS 108 increases the risk of a crash, particularly in nighttime or low-visibility driving.
Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue, Ford Authority reported, citing the company’s filing.
What FMVSS 108 Covers and Why It Matters
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 is the federal rulebook for vehicle lighting in the United States. It sets performance requirements for headlamps, daytime running lights, parking lights, turn signals, brake lights and reflective devices — the equipment that lets drivers see the road and lets other road users see the vehicle. A vehicle that can lose its forward lighting through a component defect does not meet that standard, which is why the contaminated-LED issue triggered a formal safety recall rather than a quiet service bulletin.
The safety stakes are highest in the scenarios where drivers lean most on their lighting: night driving, rural roads with no streetlights, and poor weather. A failure of both high and low beams on an unlit road leaves a driver effectively blind — and, just as importantly, makes the vehicle far less visible to oncoming traffic. That two-sided risk is precisely what FMVSS 108 is designed to prevent.
What Owners Should Do Right Now
Owners of affected Expeditions and Super Duty trucks do not need to wait for the October 26 letters to act. Any driver who has noticed flickering, partially lit, or fully inoperative headlights — or who has seen the dashboard lighting warning illuminate — can contact a Ford dealer now for an inspection. The repair is free of charge, and Ford’s customer helpline at 1-866-436-7332 can confirm whether a specific vehicle is included using its VIN.
Checking the driver’s-door certification label for the build date is the quickest at-home step: Expeditions built between June 24, 2025 and July 2, 2026, and 2026 Super Duty trucks built on August 4, 2026, fall within the recall population. NHTSA’s online VIN lookup will also flag the campaign once the agency’s database is updated with the 41,748-vehicle list.
Which Vehicles Are Affected: Build Dates and Model Years
The recall covers two distinct production windows. The affected Ford Expeditions were built between June 24, 2025 and July 2, 2026 — spanning the 2025, 2026 and early 2027 model years of the full-size SUV. The Super Duty trucks — 2026 model-year F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 pickups — were produced on August 4, 2026, according to Ford Authority.
Owners unsure whether their vehicle is included should check the build date on the driver’s-door certification label, or enter their VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup tool — both of which will flag the campaign once the recall database is updated with the 41,748-vehicle population.
Free Fix: What Owners Should Do Next
Ford will inspect the headlight assemblies on affected vehicles and replace them free of charge where necessary. The company’s reference number for this recall is 26C43, and the NHTSA campaign number is 26V606000, according to Ford Authority and the Living Safely Recalls database.
Owner notification letters will be mailed starting October 26, 2026. In the meantime, owners who notice inoperative headlights or a lighting-system warning on the dashboard can call Ford’s customer-service line at 1-866-436-7332, according to Money Talks News.
The recall arrives in the same week that rival Toyota posted record electrified-vehicle sales and a best-ever 61% electrified mix in September — a sharp reminder of how quickly the week’s auto headlines can swing from momentum to damage control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ford models are included in the headlight recall?
The recall covers select 2025–2027 Ford Expedition SUVs and 2026 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty trucks — 41,748 vehicles in total, per USA Today.
What causes the headlight defect?
The headlight assemblies may contain a contaminated LED chip that can cause a loss of daytime running lights, parking lights, high beams or low beams, according to the NHTSA safety report cited by USA Today.
Is there a free fix for the Ford headlight recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and, if needed, replace the headlight assemblies free of charge. Ford’s recall reference is 26C43 and NHTSA’s campaign number is 26V606000.
When will owners be notified?
Owner notification letters will be mailed starting October 26, 2026. Owners with questions can call Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
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