2021 F-150 Park-Pawl Recall: Interim Letters Out, Permanent Fix April 2027

Ford is recalling 82,570 model-year 2021 F-150 trucks — built January 8, 2020 through October 8, 2021 with the 10R80 transmission and park-by-wire — inside a larger 741,195-vehicle park-pawl campaign. NHTSA lists the campaign as 26V402; Ford’s number is 26S48. Involved VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026. Interim owner letters were expected August 3–7, 2026. The permanent remedy letters are anticipated April 5–9, 2027.

This page is for 2021 F-150 owners who park a truck tonight. Explorer, Aviator, Expedition, and Navigator share the campaign math as context only. Until the free PCM update and park-system inspection land in Q2 2027, set the electronic parking brake every time you park.

Sources

• NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report — 26V402 (RCLRPT-26V402-1380.pdf) — F-150 population 82,570; build window; 10R80 + park-by-wire; valve-body separator plate cause; EPB / wrench-light warnings; PCM-asleep rollaway-detection caveat; Ford aware of 24 property-damage and 9 injury allegations (2 emotional); interim Aug 3–7, 2026; remedy letters Apr 5–9, 2027
• NHTSA acknowledgment letter for campaign 26V402 (dated June 29, 2026; manufacturer report date June 24, 2026) — total units 741,195; Ford 26S48; VIN searchable Jun 26; Ford 1-866-436-7332
• NHTSA recalls / VIN lookup

Recall facts (F-150 first)

TruckDaily take

Who this is for. Anyone who owns or is shopping a 2021 F-150 with park-by-wire / 10R80 in the January 2020–October 2021 build window — plus anyone who parks that truck on a grade.

Who should skip the shrug. Skip waiting until April 2027 to change how you park. Skip assuming EPB auto-apply always catches a rollaway after the truck is powered down — Ford’s own filing says the PCM may be asleep. Those allegation counts are not a crash rate.

What we’d do. VIN-check at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Until the April 2027 remedy: set the electronic parking brake every park. Watch for a wrench light. When the PCM software and park inspection are ready, take the free dealer visit — do not treat interim mail as the fix.

What the filing actually says

The Part 573 report and June 29 acknowledgment put 82,570 model-year 2021 F-150s inside 26V402 / 26S48. Total campaign size is 741,195 across Expedition, Navigator, Explorer, Aviator, and that F-150 slice. This page leads the 2021 F-150; the other nameplates are campaign context.

Ford’s cause language: the transmission valve-body separator plate may limit flow to the park valve, so certain commanded shifts temporarily engage the park pawl while the vehicle is still moving. That can damage park-system components. Damaged Park may not hold the vehicle if the parking brake is not applied — rollaway risk.

Ford is aware of 24 property-damage allegations and 9 injury allegations (2 emotional). Those are allegation counts from the chronology. Those are allegation counts, not a crash rate.

Warnings in the filing include a wrench light and EPB auto-apply when the range sensor never reaches Park. The same filing notes rollaway detection exists but may not run if the PCM is asleep after power-down. That is why “set EPB every park” is the shopper instruction until Q2 2027.

Until April 2027

1. Confirm the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for 26V402 / 26S48.
2. Every park: set the electronic parking brake — do not rely on Park alone.
3. If you see a wrench light, or Park feels wrong, document it and call Ford / your dealer.
4. When remedy letters land around April 5–9, 2027, schedule the free PCM update and park-system inspection.

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