Daily Briefing
Today's trail report
Ford recalls 2026–2027 trucks over a tailgate cable that can fail under heavy load — 26V-689
Good morning. The one item to act on: NHTSA campaign 26V-689. Ford is recalling certain 2026–2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F-450 SD vehicles, and per NHTSA the campaign covers the Raptor for 2026–2027. The defect is the left-side tailgate cable, which may fail under certain heavy load conditions. This is not a stop-ride. Dealers will replace the left-side tailgate cable free of charge. Ford expects to mail interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk on December 14, 2026, with a second round once the remedy is available, anticipated January 2027. Involved VINs will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 7, 2026. Ford's internal number is 26S78; owners can reach Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. If you own one of these trucks, do not rely on that tailgate under load until the cable is replaced.
On the product side, Off-Road.com and Car and Driver both report Ford's new Bronco ORV package, sold through the Ford Custom Garage program for $18,995 added and, per Off-Road.com, offered for 2025 and 2026 Broncos through dealers without voiding the warranty. Car and Driver lists a Fox suspension kit, added LED lighting, 17-inch black Weld wheels, and red Bronco badging. Carscoops published a review of the 2026 Chevy Silverado ZR2 run on Tasmanian dunes, and Dirt Wheels posted a first-ride review of the 275-horsepower, 74-inch-wide 2027 Polaris RZR Pro R Boost Ultimate at Sand Hollow State Park.
Looking ahead on the industry front: Off-Road.com reports Jeep is evaluating a Willys revival as a compact electric 4x4, RideApart teases a bigger Kawasaki off-road motorcycle expected at EICMA, and Carscoops covers the Chery Stockman's Ironman 4x4 accessory tie-up for Australia in 2027. The Drive highlighted discounted OEDRO running boards for GM trucks and Jeep Wranglers and a salvage-repairable Baja race trailer, while RideApart featured Storyteller's off-road RV built around dirt bikes.
For racers: Dirt Wheels reports the Ironman GNCC runs October 23–25 with ATV title battles and breast cancer fundraising.
Zoom out: The day pairs a safety recall on Ford's newest trucks with a run of product and racing news that mostly concerns machines still arriving at dealers.
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
- Off-Road.com: Fords $18,995 Bronco ORV Package Adds Fox Suspension, Raptor Skids Read it
- Dirt Wheels: IRONMAN GNCC THIS WEEKEND: ATV TITLE CHASES AND A SEA OF PINK Read it
- Carscoops: We Jump Sand Dunes And Push The Chevy Silverado ZR2 To Its Limits | Review Read it
- RideApart: An Off-Road RV With Space For Your Dirt Bikes And a Bed. Sign Us Up Read it
- Dirt Bike Magazine: DUAL-SPORT HALL OF FAME: THE MOTORCYCLES THAT BUILT A CATEGORY (VIDEO) Read it
Sources
- Fords $18,995 Bronco ORV Package Adds Fox Suspension, Raptor Skids Off-Road.com
- IRONMAN GNCC THIS WEEKEND: ATV TITLE CHASES AND A SEA OF PINK Dirt Wheels
- We Jump Sand Dunes And Push The Chevy Silverado ZR2 To Its Limits | Review Carscoops
- An Off-Road RV With Space For Your Dirt Bikes And a Bed. Sign Us Up RideApart
- DUAL-SPORT HALL OF FAME: THE MOTORCYCLES THAT BUILT A CATEGORY (VIDEO) Dirt Bike Magazine
- 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
- Jeep Eyes Willys Revival as Compact Electric 4x4 Off-Road.com
- 2027 POLARIS RZR PRO R BOOST ULTIMATE FIRST RIDE REVIEW Dirt Wheels
- China's Ford Ranger Rival Looks Tough With Ironman 4x4 Accessories Carscoops
- Kawasaki Has a Bigger, Badder Off-Road Motorcycle Coming Soon RideApart
- Totally Overbuilt Race Car Trailer Made to Withstand Baja Can Be Fixed With Chevy Truck Parts 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 21, 2026 — Ford recalls 2026–2027 F-150 and 2026 Super Duty trucks over a tailgate cable that can fail under heavy loadNHTSA campaign 26V-689 is the day's one safety action; the rest of October 21 was new-model news and a bundle buyers are losing on the Hummer EV.
- 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.
