Ford recalls 3,376 replacement ABS service modules that can disable anti-lock brakes

Here’s the short version: if a shop recently installed a replacement ABS module on your Ford or Lincoln SUV, the part might not have taken the right software. When that happens, your anti-lock brakes stop working. Ford is recalling 3,376 of these replacement modules, and the fix matters more than the small number makes it sound.

This isn’t a recall of the whole vehicle. It’s a recall of a service part — the ABS module you’d get if yours failed and got swapped out. So the story here is different from the usual “every 2017 Edge is affected” headline. It targets a specific batch of replacement modules that went into these trucks.

What actually went wrong

The ABS module is the brain that runs your anti-lock brakes. It reads your wheel-speed sensors and decides, dozens of times a second, when to pulse the brakes so the wheels don’t lock up in a hard stop. For that to work, the module has to have the correct software loaded for your vehicle.

Here’s the problem. According to the filing, the supplier changed a chipset inside these replacement modules. That chipset change left the modules unable to accept the correct software. So when a technician tries to program the module during installation, it may not program correctly.

A module that can’t take the right software can’t do its job. Ford’s filing is blunt about the result: those modules disable the anti-lock braking system.

That doesn’t mean you lose your brakes. Your standard hydraulic braking still works — you press the pedal, the truck stops. What you lose is the ABS layer on top of it. In a panic stop, on wet or icy roads, or on gravel, that’s the system that keeps your wheels from locking so you can still steer. Lose it, and a hard stop can turn into a skid you can’t correct.

The vehicles tied to these replacement modules are the 2011 Ford Explorer, the 2017 Ford Edge, the 2017 Ford Expedition, and the 2017 Lincoln MKX and Navigator.

What the filing says

This is NHTSA campaign number 26E073000. The “E” in that number tells you it’s an equipment recall — a part, not a vehicle line. That fits, because what’s being recalled is the replacement ABS service module itself.

The count is 3,376 modules. Reported around October 23, 2026, per The Brake Report’s coverage of the campaign.

Because these are service parts, the vehicles at risk are the ones that got one of these specific replacement modules installed — not every SUV in those model years. If your truck still has its original factory module and it’s working fine, this particular batch isn’t your issue.

What this means if you own one

1. Think back to any recent ABS or brake-module repair. If you had an ABS module replaced on your Explorer, Edge, Expedition, MKX or Navigator — especially recently — you’re the owner this recall is talking about. Pull your paperwork and see what part went in.

2. Watch for an ABS warning light. A module that didn’t program correctly usually throws an ABS light on the dash. If yours is lit, don’t wave it off as a sensor glitch. On these vehicles right now, that light could mean the anti-lock system isn’t there when you need it.

3. Run your VIN through NHTSA. Go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your VIN. Because this is an equipment recall on a service part, it may not always flag on the vehicle lookup, so also keep the campaign number 26E073000 handy and ask your dealer directly whether your installed module is part of the batch.

4. Get the free repair. A safety recall remedy is free. That means reprogramming or replacing the affected module at no cost to you. Don’t let a shop charge you to fix a part that’s under a federal recall.

5. Document everything. Keep your repair invoices, the recall notice, and any record of the ABS light. If you paid out of pocket to have a bad module diagnosed or redone, that paperwork is what gets you reimbursed and what protects you if there’s any dispute.

You can read more about these vehicles at our hubs: 2011 Ford Explorer, 2017 Ford Edge, 2017 Ford Expedition, 2017 Lincoln MKX, and 2017 Lincoln Navigator.

My take

Thirty-four hundred parts is a small recall on paper, and if you’ve never had your ABS module swapped, you can probably stop worrying. But for the owners who did get one of these replacement modules, this is a real safety gap. A module that won’t program isn’t a nuisance light — it’s your anti-lock system sitting dead, and you may not find out until the one hard stop where you needed it.

The cause here is clean and documented: a chipset change on the supplier side broke the module’s ability to load the right software. The fix should be straightforward and it’s on Ford’s dime. If that ABS light is on, treat it as the warning it is, call your dealer with campaign 26E073000, and get it sorted before the weather turns.