> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://aarr.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ford Recalls 223,472 F-150 Pickups Over Fuel Tanks That Could Come Loose on the Road - URL: https://aarr.org/ford-f150-fuel-tank-strap-recall/ - Published: 2026-09-16T14:13:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-16T16:49:02.000Z - Description: Ford is recalling 223,472 F-150 pickups because front fuel tank straps may not be properly attached to the frame, risking a fuel leak or a tank coming loose on the road. Dealers will inspect the straps and replace them if needed, free of charge. Check your VIN with NHTSA's free recall lookup. - Author: AARR Staff - Tags: News ## What Ford and Federal Safety Regulators Say Is Wrong With These Trucks If you own a new Ford F-150, or you are shopping for one on a dealer's lot, this recall is worth a few minutes of your time. Ford Motor Company has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 223,472 F-150 pickups may have been built with front fuel tank straps that were not properly attached to the truck's frame. Fuel tank straps are the metal bands that hold the tank against the frame rail underneath the truck. According to the recall report Ford filed with NHTSA, some trucks left the factory with front fuel tank straps that were not properly inserted into the frame rail. As a result, the fuel tank may be improperly secured and leak fuel, or detach from the vehicle while driving. NHTSA spells out the two hazards that follow. A detached tank can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash for the truck and for anyone traveling behind it. A fuel leak can cause an engine stall or increase the risk of a fire, and Ford lists no warning that would alert an owner before the problem occurs. ## Which Trucks Are Included The recall covers 2023 through 2027 model year F-150s built from January 4, 2023, through August 27 of this year, but only the trucks from that period that were still unsold or had been in service for less than three months on August 27\. Ford says it drew the line there because the cases it has seen show the problem appearing very early in a truck's life. A truck that had already been on the road for three months or more by August 27 falls outside the recall, and the VIN lookup below settles the question for any particular truck. The 223,472 figure is the number of trucks included in the recall, not the number Ford believes actually have the problem. Ford estimates that 1 percent of them do, and it traced the concern to periods when the cameras used to check that the fuel tank straps were installed correctly were not in continuous use at its F-150 assembly plants. By August 27, Ford had identified 16 related warranty claims worldwide. Ford says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries connected to this condition. ## How to Find Out Whether Your Truck Is On the List The recall applies to specific trucks identified by vehicle identification number, not to every F-150 built in those model years. You do not have to guess, and you do not have to wait for the mail. NHTSA's free [recall lookup](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) will tell you whether your particular truck has an open, unrepaired recall. Ford's affected VINs became searchable on the NHTSA site on September 14\. Before you look, have one of these in hand: - Your 17-character VIN. NHTSA says to look on the lower left of the windshield. The VIN also appears on your vehicle registration card and may be printed on your insurance card. - Or your license plate number and the state that issued it, which NHTSA accepts as an alternative to the VIN. If your truck is clear, the search will show that it has 0 unrepaired recalls. The tool does not show recalls that have already been repaired, and some recently announced recalls do not have every VIN loaded yet, so NHTSA asks owners to check regularly. If a license plate search pulls up a vehicle you used to own, NHTSA says to contact your state department of motor vehicles to have the record updated and to use the VIN in the meantime. NHTSA also offers a free SaferCar app for iPhone and Android that alerts your phone when it finds a safety recall for a vehicle you have entered, along with a bulk tool that checks up to 100 VINs at once. ## What the Dealer Will Do and What It Costs You NHTSA's notice states that dealers “will inspect and replace the fuel tank straps, as necessary, free of charge.” Owners should take the truck to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank inspected and the straps replaced if they are found to be improperly secured. The replacement straps are the same design as the originals, and the difference is that they will be properly secured to the frame. When you ask your dealer about the recall, give Ford's recall number, 26S69. ## Dates, Numbers and Who to Call Ford notified NHTSA of the recall on September 9, and the agency logged it as campaign number 26V578000\. Ford's own number for the recall is 26S69. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed beginning September 21, and Ford plans to send them between September 21 and 28\. If you would rather not wait for the envelope, the VIN lookup will tell you now, and Ford's customer service line or a Ford or Lincoln dealer can check a particular truck. - Ford Customer Service: 1-866-436-7332 - Ford recall number: 26S69 - NHTSA campaign number: 26V578000 - NHTSA toll-free line: 1-888-327-4236 - NHTSA TTY: 1-800-424-9153 - [NHTSA website](https://www.nhtsa.gov/) NHTSA notes that manufacturers will notify registered owners by first class mail within 60 days of telling the agency about a recall decision. When your letter comes, the agency says to follow any interim safety guidance the manufacturer provides and to contact your local dealership to have the recalled part fixed for free, and it advises owners to check for recalls twice a year. If your F-150 is new, a VIN check today costs nothing but a minute at the keyboard.