Ford Ranger Double Cab recall: 13,907 utes affected by side-curtain airbag fault
Ford Australia has recalled 13,907 Ranger Double Cab vehicles because their side-curtain airbags may not deploy as intended in a crash. The Australian Government recall notice, published on 18 August 2026, is numbered REC-006705. Ford’s campaign number is 26C39. Owners should check their vehicle identification number (VIN) to find out whether their ute is affected.
The notice covers certain 2026-model-year Ranger Double Cabs and lists a 2025–2026 year range. Ford’s initial statement described selected MY2026 and MY2026. 5 vehicles built between 26 November 2025 and 10 July 2026. The build dates are a guide; a VIN check is the way to confirm the status of an individual Ford Ranger.
What is the Ford Ranger airbag fault?
The side-curtain airbags may make contact with the interior trim on the B-pillar, the upright section between the front and rear doors, while inflating. If that happens, the airbags may not deploy as intended. The government notice also warns that part of the B-pillar ramp could detach and become a projectile. In a crash, these faults could increase the risk of serious injury or death to occupants.
Ford said the issue was found through routine vehicle testing and that it was unaware of incidents in customer vehicles associated with the condition when the campaign was announced. The recall identifies a potential safety risk; it does not mean the airbags have failed in every affected ute.
Which Ford Ranger variants are affected?
The formal recall notice specifies certain Double Cab vehicles but does not provide a grade-by-grade list. Ford’s initial statement included relevant Double Cab examples of the Ranger Hybrid, Raptor and Super Duty, and said Single Cab and Super Cab vehicles were outside this campaign. Owners and buyers should still check the VIN rather than assume a vehicle is included or excluded based on its badge.
That applies to anyone shopping for a Ranger PHEV or Ranger Super Duty: confirm the status of the specific vehicle before taking delivery.
When the recall was announced, Ford said approximately 8,000 affected vehicles had already been delivered. It said the remainder were in dealer stock under a temporary delivery and demonstration hold. Those figures describe the situation at the announcement, not the number of vehicles awaiting repair today.
How to check your VIN and get the repair
Find your 17-character VIN on your registration or insurance documents, or at the base of the windscreen.
Enter it in Ford Australia’s Recall and Service Action lookup. The government recall notice also links to an affected-VIN list.
If campaign 26C39 applies, contact an authorised Ford dealer to check repair availability for your vehicle. You can also call Ford’s Customer Relationship Centre on 13 36 73.
Ask for a record once the work is completed. If you are buying a used or demonstrator Ranger, check whether the campaign has been completed before taking delivery.
The recall repair is free of charge. The government notice says Ford will write to affected owners once a remedy is available and ask them to arrange rectification through an authorised dealer. Ford originally anticipated availability from mid-September 2026, but the published notice checked on 24 September 2026 did not confirm that repairs had begun for every affected VIN. Check directly with Ford or your dealer before assuming parts are available for your ute.
Ford said owners could continue using affected vehicles while awaiting repair and that the other airbags continued to operate as designed. If you have concerns about your vehicle, contact Ford or an authorised dealer promptly.
Does the recall affect the Ranger’s ANCAP rating or warranty?
ANCAP lists a five-star safety rating dated 2022 for the current-generation Ranger, excluding Raptor, which ANCAP identifies as unrated. The published rating also covers the Ranger plug-in hybrid. A safety rating does not confirm that an individual vehicle has received its recall repair; owners still need to check the VIN.
Ford says safety recalls do not expire, so an affected vehicle remains eligible until the repair is completed. Ford also says recall repairs have a 12-month/20,000km parts-and-labour warranty or the remainder of the Ford Express New Vehicle Warranty, whichever is greater. This repair coverage is separate from the vehicle’s new-car warranty.
For Ranger owners, the next step is to check the VIN for campaign 26C39 and arrange the free dealer repair when Ford confirms availability for their vehicle.double-cab