Ford Airbag Recall Hits Bronco Sport and Maverick

Airbags save thousands of lives per year in car crashes, with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reporting that 4,330 lives were saved by frontal airbags in 2019 alone. So, when airbags are found to be faulty, a recall typically follows quickly. That’s the case for two Ford models—the Bronco Sport SUV and Maverick pickup truck—which have been found to have potentially faulty front passenger airbags. The issue appears to be with a series of sensors rather than the airbag unit itself, but this still poses a serious safety risk for front passengers.

Ford 2026 Airbag Recall

According to the recall notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website, the Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) unit in certain Bronco Sport and Maverick models may fail to correctly detect when an adult or child is occupying the front passenger seat. The airbag may not deploy at all or deploy incorrectly, increasing the chances of an injury in the event of a crash. It also means these vehicles could fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, which involves “Occupant Crash Protection”.

In total, the recall affects 3,170 Ford models, with 1,515 being Bronco Sports and 1,655 being Mavericks. These two models share the C2 platform, which means a safety defect like this one is likely to affect both. The recall pertains to 2025-2026 models only.

Just last month, certain Lexus LX SUVs were recalled for a near-identical fault, whereby that vehicle’s OCS may not correctly detect someone sitting in the passenger seat, which could affect airbag deployment. That recall is otherwise unrelated to the Ford one.

What Owners Should Do Now

Until your vehicle can be checked, it would be wise to seat passengers in the second row of the Bronco Sport and Maverick when possible.

“Dealers will replace the passenger seat occupant classification sensor, free of charge,” said a statement in the recall notice on the NHTSA’s website. “Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed April 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026.”

Ford’s customer care number is 1-866-436-7332, which can be used to find out more information about the recall. Alternatively, you can use your Vehicle Identification Number, searchable on the NHTSA website, to find out if your Maverick or Bronco Sport is affected by this recall.

Although this recall involves comparatively few models, it’s one of numerous Ford recalls already issued in 2026. This week alone, over 400,000 models were recalled for defective windshield wipers, while over 7,000 Super Duty pickups were recalled two weeks ago for failing fuel pumps.

Ford has been open about its efforts to tackle years of quality troubles, but its recall record in 2026 suggests the company isn’t where it wants to be yet.