Ford Recalls Nearly 420,000 Vehicles Due to Seat Belt Issue

Ford is recalling almost 420,000 vehicles due to a seat belt issue that potentially results in injuries during a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report on Tuesday outlining the recall, which involves specific Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles with model years ranging from 2018 to 2022.

The problem concerns seat belts that may inadvertently lock, preventing them from retracting or extending properly. According to the NHTSA, a seat belt that fails to function correctly increases the risk of injury in a collision. Rapid retraction of seat belts may also cause injuries in some cases.

This recall is an expansion of two prior NHTSA recalls. Ford Motor Co. has acknowledged two warranty claims and two field reports linked to this issue. The company also reports awareness of one injury related to the recall.

Vehicle owners will be notified by mail regarding the recall. They can visit their nearest Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the front seat belt retractors inspected and, if necessary, replaced free of charge.

Additionally, Ford has warned against driving certain vehicles due to suspension system issues. Affected models include 4,600 Bronco Sport vehicles from model years 2021 through 2026 and Maverick vehicles from model years 2022 through 2026. The NHTSA states that the front lower control arm ball joints might have been improperly installed or repaired during assembly, which could lead to the control arm detaching from the front wheel knuckle. This detachment could result in loss of control and increased crash risk.

Dealers will inspect and repair the control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge. For more information, owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.