Owners of certain new Ford Ranger pickups should watch their mail and check their vehicle identification numbers after Ford reported that a defect can knock out the truck's center display and, with it, the rearview-camera image. The federal safety recall covers 11,405 certain 2026 Rangers equipped with a 10.1-inch center-stack screen.

Ford submitted recall 26V605 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Sept. 22. Ford identifies the campaign as 26C42. The affected trucks were produced from April 21 through Sept. 3, 2026.

The company told NHTSA that the screen can unexpectedly go blank or black. When the truck is shifted into reverse, the driver may then receive no rearview-camera image. That can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle and increase the risk of a backing crash. The condition may also violate the federal rear-visibility standard.

The problem is electrical rather than a failure of the camera itself. According to Ford's filing, a short circuit on the display's printed circuit board can open a fuse and cut power to the screen. Ford traced the issue to cracked multilayer ceramic capacitors that did not meet its specifications and are suspected of being counterfeit components. A blank infotainment screen is the warning drivers may notice.

As of Sept. 14, Ford knew of 15 potentially related warranty claims in North America. The company reported no known crashes or injuries connected to the condition. The 11,405 figure is the number of vehicles potentially involved, not a count of trucks that have experienced a failure.

A repair is not yet available. Ford says it is working to provide the needed parts and will notify affected owners when they can schedule a free dealership repair. Interim owner letters are scheduled to be mailed between Oct. 5 and Oct. 9. Affected VINs have been searchable through NHTSA since Sept. 25. The recall filing does not direct owners to stop driving the trucks.

For Logan County drivers, the first step is to check the VIN rather than assume every 2026 Ranger is included. The 17-character VIN appears at the lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side and on vehicle registration documents. Owners can enter it at NHTSA.gov/recalls or contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

If the VIN check shows an open recall, save the result and contact an authorized Ford dealer. Because the remedy remains pending, owners should confirm that Ford and the dealer have current contact information and ask to be notified when parts are available.

Until the repair is completed, drivers should pay attention to the center display and avoid relying only on the camera while backing. Check mirrors and windows, look behind the vehicle, move slowly and stop if the path is unclear. If the screen goes blank, report the condition to a Ford dealer. Those are prudent backing habits for any vehicle and do not mean every recalled Ranger will lose its display.

Recall work will be performed free of charge once the remedy is ready. Owners should keep any interim letter and later repair paperwork with their vehicle records.

Editorial Sources

• NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V605

• NHTSA Recall Lookup