Ford Recalls Expeditions, Navigators for Bad Seat Belts

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles, according to documents made publicly available by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning.

The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend. About 80,000 SUVs are involved in a safety defect that occurs because of rust.*

Certain seatbelt retractor pretensioners may develop corroded squib pins caused by an undefined supplier [ZF] manufacturing issue. After extended corrosion and with a partial separation at the weld between the squib pin and the bridge-wire (the heating element of a pyrotechnic or exploding device), high resistance or open circuit may occur. If not resolved this may result in a retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment. Increased humidity inside the cab, caused by water leakage after customer air-conditioning (A/C) usage in the hot temperature areas, may potentially contribute to the development of corrosion on top of the squib pins. An airbag malfunction light illuminates on the cluster preceding an inadvertent deployment of the seatbelt retractor pretensioner.

Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Dealers will also install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge as required by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed on 4 March 2024. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available, which is a common problem that delays Ford recalls. Ford in the filing said it anticipated that parts will become available during the second half of 2024.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 24S06. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov about NHTSA 24V-099.

*Recalled are

• 3,101 2018 model year Ford Expedition vehicles are affected.
• 57,031 2019 model year Ford Expedition vehicles are affected.
• 23 2020 model year Ford Expedition vehicles are affected.
• Production Dates are from 1 October 2018 through 30 June 2019.