Ford is recalling 11,405 examples of the 2026 Ranger because the pickup’s 10.1-inch center screen can lose power. When that screen goes black, the backup camera image goes with it. This Ford Ranger recall arrived in late September, and as of now there is no fix ready.

That last point matters for anyone who just bought a new Ranger. Ford has told federal regulators that the remedy is still under development. In the meantime, owners will get a letter explaining the problem, and a second letter will follow once parts and a repair procedure exist.

The trucks in question are recent builds. They came off the line this spring and summer, so many of them have only a few months on the road. Here is what the filing says, what one outlet found in the supporting documents, and what owners can do right now.

What the Ford Ranger recall covers

The NHTSA acknowledgment letter lists the campaign as 26V605, and Ford’s own number for it is 26C42. It covers 11,405 model-year 2026 Ford Rangers equipped with the 10.1-inch center stack screen. Ford dated its defect report September 22, 2026, and NHTSA’s acknowledgment followed on September 25.

According to that letter, “the screen may lose power and fail to display the rearview camera image.” As a result, the truck no longer meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111, the federal rule on rear visibility. NHTSA puts the risk plainly: a missing camera image reduces the driver’s view behind the vehicle and raises the chance of a crash.

Ford Authority reports that the affected trucks were built at Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, between April 21 and September 3, 2026. One note for anyone comparing coverage: that article prints the count as 11,045, while the NHTSA filing says 11,405. We use the filing’s number.

Why the screens go black

The NHTSA letter itself describes only the symptom. However, autoevolution read the supporting documents and reported more detail on the cause. Its report says multilayer ceramic capacitors on the display’s circuit board can crack and short out the board.

Autoevolution also writes that the suspect capacitors “are believed to be counterfeit.” According to that outlet, Ford says the parts fail to meet both its engineering and material specifications. The same report names the display supplier as Suzhou Dongshan Display in China.

So how common is the failure? By autoevolution’s reading of the filing, Ford estimates that about 47% of the recalled trucks contain the defect. That works out to roughly 5,360 pickups. In other words, not every truck on the list will fail, but Ford cannot tell the good screens from the bad ones yet.

How Ford found the problem

Warranty returns tipped Ford off first. According to autoevolution, a Ford review group looked at six returned screens on August 20, 2026. Then a traceability investigation wrapped up on September 10, which let Ford narrow the problem to a specific build window.

By that point, autoevolution reports, Ford had counted 15 warranty claims in North America. Ford Authority adds that Ford knows of no accidents or injuries tied to the defect. Meanwhile, the same capacitor issue reaches beyond new trucks. Autoevolution says a second campaign, 26E065, covers 46 replacement display screens that dealers may have installed.

The FMVSS 111 problem is specific, too. Autoevolution writes that a dark screen breaks three parts of the rule: the camera’s response time, its field of view and its default view. Put simply, the law expects the image to appear quickly and show a set area behind the truck every time the driver selects reverse.

What Ranger owners should do now

First, check the VIN. NHTSA’s letter says recall VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov as of September 25, 2026. Owners can enter the 17-character number from the windshield corner or the registration and see whether their truck is included.

Next, watch the mail. Ford plans to send interim notification letters starting October 5, 2026, according to the NHTSA filing. Autoevolution gives the mailing window as October 5 to 9. Later, a second letter will arrive once the remedy is available, the filing says.

Until then, the practical advice is simple. If the center screen goes dark, the camera is gone too, so back up the old way, with mirrors and a look over the shoulder. Owners with questions can call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. They can also reach the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Where the remedy stands

For now, Ford has not said what the repair will be. Both the NHTSA letter and Ford Authority’s report describe the remedy as under development. NHTSA’s acknowledgment also tells Ford to file an amended Part 573 report once it settles on a fix.

That amended report will be the next public record in this case. Until it lands, the facts on file are these: campaign 26V605, 11,405 Rangers built between April 21 and September 3, 2026, and owner letters scheduled to start going out on October 5, 2026.

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This article was created with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by Fast Lane Only editors before publication.