Dearborn, MI – January 21, 2023 – Ford (NYSE:F), which owns the Lincoln brand, is recalling 101,001 vehicles over a problem with the seat belt warning system. The issue could prevent the drivers from buckling up, augmenting the risk of an injury in a crash.
The recall covers the following SUVs:
- 2020 – 2023 Lincoln Navigator
- 2020 – 2022 Lincoln Corsair
Recall summary
The seat belt warning system is a safety feature that delivers an audible sound when it detects that the driver is not wearing the seat belt after the engine has been started. Due to a software error, part of the chime may be muted, causing it to play for less than four seconds.
The part involved in this recall is the audio head unit with multiple part numbers, including PJ7T-18D890-SC, LC5T-18K810-JC and MC5T-18D890-SC.
Recall risks
A seat belt warning chime that is partially inaudible may do an inadequate job of reminding drivers to put on their seat belts before driving the car. This could lead them to drive without it, presenting an increased risk of injury if a crash occurs.
Other Ford recalls
In April of last year, there was a Lincoln Navigator recall due to trailer brakes, which may fail to engage when applied, as reported. The recall also included other vehicles.
In July 2022, Ford was sued by owners of the 2021 Expedition and 2021 Lincoln Navigator SUVs who alleged that the manufacturer waited too long to recall these vehicles over risk of fire. On January 13, 2023, the lawsuit was dismissed, according to court records.
In December 2022, Ford issued a second recall for 521,778 SUVs including the 2021-2023 Ford Bronco Sport and 2020-2023 Ford Escape. This was over reports of a defect with the fuel injectors, leading to fire in the engine bay and an increased risk of injury.
The repair
Dealers will update the audio control module software on the affected vehicles free of charge. Ford will reimburse owners who paid for their own repair before the recall was issued.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified between February 6, 2023 and February 10, 2023.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
More than 100,000 vehicles are affected by this Ford seat belt chime recall. To see if your vehicle is among them, run a Ford recall check using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool. You can use the same tool to run a Lincoln recall check.
