Washington, D.C. – November 28, 2024 – The U.S. government’s auto safety regulator is investigating Ford (NYSE:F) over allegations of seat belts locking in place following a recall issued for the same issue. The alleged defect may compromise occupant protection in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
If the investigation leads to a recall, it could affect 112,657 2019-2020 Ford Expedition SUVs.
Investigation summary
The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on November 15, 2024, following three complaints of seat belt retractor pretensioners deploying with no apparent reason.
What is a seat belt pretensioner?
The pretensioner is a device that deploys during a crash to tighten the seat belt against the occupant’s torso to prevent him from getting ejected from the vehicle. If it is deployed in the absence of a crash, the car occupants may not be able to use the seat belt because it may get locked in place. Conversely, if the seat belt is still usable but the pretensioner has deployed, the belt will not tighten during an accident.
Risks
Both scenarios up the risk of a serious injury in an accident.
Background of the investigation
In February 2024, Ford recalled over 77,000 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs over the same issue.
The 110,000 vehicles that are part of this investigation were not part of the initial recall but potentially have the same defect.
The investigation aims to assess whether these additional vehicles also need to be recalled.
Other Ford recalls
Earlier this month, Ford recalled over 6,000 Mustangs whose instrument clusters would fail to illuminate.
In September, more than 90,000 Lincoln and Ford vehicles were recalled due to “catastrophic engine damage” that could result in a stall, as reported.
Is your vehicle part of a recall?
This investigation may result in a Ford seat belt pretensioner recall, potentially affecting more than 110,000 SUVs. To do a Ford recall check and see if your car might be a part of it, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
