Daily Briefing
Today's trail report
Ford recalls 2026–2027 F-150 and 2026 Super Duty trucks over a tailgate cable that can fail under heavy load
Good morning. Lead with the recall. Ford is recalling certain 2026–2027 F-150 and 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD trucks under NHTSA campaign 26V-689 because the left-side tailgate cable may fail under certain heavy load conditions. NHTSA states this covers the Raptor for 2026–2027. This is not a stop-ride. Ford's internal number for the action is 26S78. Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable free of charge. Interim letters warning owners of the risk are expected to mail December 14, 2026, with a second letter once the remedy is available, anticipated January 2027. VINs will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026, and owners can reach Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. If you load the tailgate — a bike, a cooler, your own weight to climb in — treat it as suspect until a dealer replaces the cable.
On products, Off-Road.com reports GMC has dropped the Off-Road Readiness Package from the 2027 GMC Hummer EV Pickup — the dealer-installed bundle that provided a full-size spare wheel and tire, recovery equipment, and a way to carry the spare upright in the bed. If you were counting on that package to leave the lot trail-ready, it is gone for 2027; plan to source a spare and recovery gear separately. The Drive, meanwhile, flags a discount on OEDRO vehicle-specific running boards for GM trucks and Jeep Wranglers — note "vehicle-specific," so check the fit for your exact truck before you buy.
More new-model news surfaced. Carscoops reports the 2027 Ford Ranger will add the Raptor's turbo V6. Car and Driver details a Bronco ORV package with a Fox suspension kit, added LED lighting, 17-inch black Weld wheels and red badging, and both Car and Driver and The Drive published favorable off-road reviews of the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport and its suspension lift.
On the industry and racing side: Powersports Business reports KTM and Husqvarna will showcase their lineup at EICMA, RideApart covers KTM's plans for a Brazil factory, and UTV Action and Dirt Wheels both report Phil Blurton won the inaugural AORC UTV Pro and Limited overall titles at the Laughlin finale, with Can-Am taking the Manufacturers Cup. Separately, Outside published a firsthand account of the Moab 240 race hit by severe cold, high winds and falling trees — a reminder that the hazard that day was weather, not terrain.
Zoom out: Much of the day's reporting pointed at 2027 model-year machines — the Ranger, the Passport TrailSport and the Hummer EV Pickup.
Recall in focus
NHTSA campaign 26V-689.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles. The left-side tailgate cable may fail under certain heavy load conditions.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed December 14, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S78. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026.
What we're tracking
- The Drive: Save 20% on Bolt-On Running Boards for GM Trucks and Jeep Wranglers Read it
- Car and Driver: Ford Bronco Gains Stylish ORV Package for Improved Off-Roading Read it
- Powersports Business: KTM, Husqvarna to showcase innovation at EICMA Read it
- Carscoops: 2027 Ford Ranger Models Will Get The Raptor's Turbo V6 Read it
- UTV Action: Phil Blurton wins inaugural American Off-Road Racing Championship Read it
Sources
- Save 20% on Bolt-On Running Boards for GM Trucks and Jeep Wranglers The Drive
- Ford Bronco Gains Stylish ORV Package for Improved Off-Roading Car and Driver
- KTM, Husqvarna to showcase innovation at EICMA Powersports Business
- 2027 Ford Ranger Models Will Get The Raptor's Turbo V6 Carscoops
- Phil Blurton wins inaugural American Off-Road Racing Championship UTV Action
- KTM's Hooligan Motorcycles Might Have Found Their Perfect Playground In Latin America RideApart
- 2027 Hummer EV Pickup Loses Its Spare-And-Recovery Bundle Off-Road.com
- I Was Leading the Moab 240 When Extreme Weather Hit. Here’s What It Was Like. Outside
- PHIL BLURTON WINS INAUGURAL AORC UTV PRO AND LIMITED OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Dirt Wheels
- Totally Overbuilt Race Car Trailer Made to Withstand Baja Can Be Fixed With Chevy Truck Parts The Drive
- View Exterior Photos of the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Car and Driver
- Tested: 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Is Legit Off-Road Car and Driver
- View Interior Photos of the 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Car and Driver
- 2027 Honda Passport TrailSport Off-Road Review: Not ‘Good for a Crossover.’ Just Plain Good The Drive
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Summarized from the linked reports and the recall record by the desk. Verify against the original sources before citing.
Nothing here replaces your service manual. Torque values, capacities and pressures must come from the manufacturer's published data for your exact machine. Recall coverage is the agency's statement — check your VIN with the agency before acting on it.
Previous briefings
- Oct 27, 2026 — Ford recalls 2026–2027 F-150 and 2026 Super Duty trucks over a tailgate cable that can fail under heavy loadA left-side tailgate cable that may break under certain heavy loads is the day's one safety action; the rest is land-use movement in Oregon and California and a wave of Glamis Halloween news.
- Oct 26, 2026 — BLM Closes Little Elk Mountain Road After Coast Range Landslides as Two Other Orders LiftMonday brought one new BLM road closure in Oregon's Coast Range, two rescissions elsewhere in the state, and factory-option news from Jeep.
- Oct 22, 2026 — Ford recalls 2026–2027 trucks over a tailgate cable that can fail under heavy load — 26V-689A left-side tailgate cable defect on Ford's newest trucks leads the day's news, alongside a factory Bronco trail package and racing from the Ironman GNCC.
- Oct 19, 2026 — Ford recalls 2025–2027 F-150s over improperly secured front seats — campaign 26V-655A federal seat-security recall leads the day, alongside a National Park Service proposal to allow subsistence off-road travel in Gates of the Arctic and a run of new-truck and app news.
- Oct 16, 2026 — Ford recalls 2025–2027 F-150 trucks because front seats may be improperly secured — campaign 26V-655The day's one safety action is a Ford seat-attachment recall; the rest is product and industry news, led by new engine and package options for the Bronco and Wrangler.
