Ford New Zealand issues targeted recall for Ranger ute

Damien O’Carroll

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  • Ford NZ has issued a recall for the MY2026.5 Ranger double cab ute due to a potential airbag issue.
  • The company says a piece of trim on the B-pillar could interfere with curtain airbag deployment.
  • The recall only affects the latest double cab Rangers, with only around 900 delivered to customers, and all other models are unaffected.

Ford New Zealand has initiated a voluntary safety recall specifically for the recently launched MY2026.5 Ranger Double Cab to address a potential issue with the B-pillar trim. The company says this action is limited to this specific model year and does not affect older Ranger models.

The recall was prompted by internal routine testing which revealed that, in the event of a crash, the side curtain airbags could potentially interact with the B-pillar trim during inflation and prevent the airbags from deploying as intended.

Ford says that part of the trim on the B-pillar could potentially affect the effective deployment of the side curtain airbags.

“One of the reasons the Ford Ranger has been so popular in New Zealand is we are constantly testing and refining it to keep it ahead of the competition,” a spokesperson for Ford New Zealand told DRIVEN Car Guide.

“This issue was picked up by our internal routine vehicle testing. We are not aware of any incidents in customer vehicles associated with this condition.”

Only the new MY2026.5 double cabs are affected by the issue, with all other Ranger models - including older ones - being unaffected.

The recall affects a total of 2602 vehicles in New Zealand, with the majority currently in Ford New Zealand or dealer stock, including 400 units still in transit, all of which are now under a temporary delivery hold. 

Approximately 900 vehicles have already been delivered to customers, and the company emphasises that the recall is not a "stop drive" and has confirmed that customers can continue to use their vehicles safely, as all other safety systems - including the front, centre, knee, and side thorax airbags - continue to operate as designed.

The remedy involves replacing parts of the B-pillar trim, and Ford expects parts to be available for repairs in mid-September. The repair is estimated to take just under two hours and will be performed by authorised Ford technicians free of charge.

The Ranger was the best-selling vehicle in New Zealand for 10 consecutive years, with its reign being ended last year by the Toyota RAV4.

“Owners of affected vehicles will have received a notice on their phone via the FordApp if they are using it,” the spokesperson said. “We will also notify all affected customers directly with a letter and instructions when parts are available and they can book in their vehicle.”

Owners can verify if their specific vehicle is affected by entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into the search tool on the Ford New Zealand Recall and Service Action page here, or for further information, customers can contact their local authorised Ford dealer or the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 0800 FORD NZ (0800 367 369).

Ford New Zealand noted that the recall has been reported to the NZTA and is expected to be listed on the official government vehicle recall site shortly.