Ford recalls 30,123 F-Series pickups over tailgate cable failure

Ford is recalling 30,123 of its F-Series pickups in the US because a tailgate cable can give way under load. If it does, the tailgate may drop onto the rear bumper, and Ford's filing says that raises the risk of injury.

Trucks included

The campaign covers certain 2026-2027 F-150 trucks and certain 2026 F-250, F-350 and F-450 Super Duty models. Ford Motor Company reported it to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on 20 October 2026, and the agency lists it as campaign 26V689 under the tailgate hinge and attachments.

The fault is confined to one side. The summary says the left-side cable may fail under certain heavy load conditions. The filing does not spell out a specific load.

Remedy and timing

Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable free of charge. The parts are not ready yet. Ford expects the remedy to be available in January 2027, so it plans to send interim letters first, telling owners about the safety risk. Those are expected to be mailed on 14 December 2026, with further letters once the repair can be booked.

Owners can check whether a truck is included: the vehicle identification numbers involved will be searchable on NHTSA.gov from 7 December 2026. Ford customer service can be reached on 1-866-436-7332, and the company's own number for the recall is 26S78.

The recall record does not mark the trucks as do-not-drive, and it does not carry a park-outside advisory.