P1026: owner reports and bulletins

Powertrain (manufacturer-specific). We haven't written the explanation for this code yet. Below is what owners and manufacturers have filed with NHTSA.

Got P1026 on your scanner? Tell the mechanic your year, make, model and any symptoms and you'll get the likely cause and what to check first. Ask about this code.

What owners report to NHTSA

5 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P1026, 5 of them since 2015, across 4 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: engine.

Manufacturer service bulletins that name P1026

23 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P1026, from 3 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:

  • FORD EXPLORER (2022, 2023), bulletin 10232394: Some 2022-2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a 2.3L engine may exhibit an intermittent check engine light on with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P1026 and/or P1299 present in the powertrain control module (PCM) and an e…
  • LINCOLN AVIATOR (2020), bulletin 10177711: Some 2020 Explorer/Aviator vehicles equipped with a 3.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or Engine Coolant Over Temperature warning with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P01…
  • FORD EDGE (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), bulletin 10177705: Some 2015-2020 F150/Edge/Fusion, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019-2020 Nautilus, and 2017-2020 Continental vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or Engine Coolant…
  • LINCOLN CONTINENTAL (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), bulletin 10177705: Some 2015-2020 F150/Edge/Fusion, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019-2020 Nautilus, and 2017-2020 Continental vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or Engine Coolant…
  • LINCOLN MKX (2019, 2020), bulletin 10177867: Some 2019-2020 Edge/Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0128, P0217, P044C, P1026, P1285, P1299, P139A …
  • FORD F-150 (2018, 2019, 2020), bulletin 10198582: Some 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 2.7L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or Engine Coolant Over Temperature warning with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0116, P0…

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.