When Off-Road Styling Becomes a Highway Hazard: Ford Calls Back the Bronco Raptor

© A. Krivonosov

Ford is recalling 36,046 Bronco SUVs from the 2022–2026 model years in the United States. NHTSA campaign 26V403 (Ford’s internal number is 26S47) covers vehicles fitted with the Raptor package: the fender flares can loosen and detach from the body while the SUV is on the move.

At first glance the defect doesn’t look like a serious mechanical failure — no engine, no brakes, no transmission. The real risk lies elsewhere: a piece of plastic that breaks free turns into a road hazard for other vehicles. The situation is especially dangerous on the highway, where speeds are higher and reaction times shorter.

The cause traces back to parts production at a supplier. The fender flares for the Bronco Raptor are made by Ventra Evart, part of the Flex-n-Gate group, at its Michigan plant. According to information SPEEDME received from Ford, the fenders and rear quarter panels may have been produced using tooling that fell short of the automaker’s specifications. As a result, the attachment holes ended up at the wrong size, with burrs and stray fibers preventing the flares from being fully secured on the assembly line. The recall covers vehicles built between October 1, 2021 and May 6, 2026; Ford estimates that around 4 percent of that population is actually defective.

Drivers can often spot the problem early. Ford points to a visible gap, sagging or misalignment of the flare, along with rattling, clicking or flapping noises at high speeds. The Bronco Raptor flares are designed to be removable for certain off-road scenarios, but with incomplete fastening they can come off without any input from the owner.

Ford received its first warning on January 13, 2026: on a 2026 Bronco Raptor, the front right fender flare came off while the vehicle was being driven on a highway. On March 20, a Stop Ship was issued at the Michigan Assembly Plant for 2026 model year Bronco Raptors, and on March 26 the Critical Concern Review Group officially opened an internal investigation. By June 5, the company had logged 370 warranty claims, 36 field reports, two customer reports and one VOQ complaint. The materials cite a total of 409 reports across 352 unique VINs. Ford has not recorded any crashes or injuries linked to the defect.

The repair will be free of charge. Dealers will check the flares, secure loose parts with new push pins or replace missing components. VINs will become searchable in the NHTSA database on August 7, 2026; interim letters will be mailed to owners between August 10 and 14, and remedy notifications between August 31 and September 4. Owners who don’t want to wait for a letter can call Ford at 1-866-436-7332 to check the status of their vehicle.

For a Bronco Raptor owner, this isn’t a reason to park the truck for good, but it is a reason to look the wheel arches over before heading to the dealer. If a flare is already sagging or making noise at speed, don’t wait for the letter: rugged off-road styling shouldn’t become a problem for the cars sharing the road.