Ford Recalls Ranger Airbag Recall for Unsafe Repair

Ford Motor Company is recalling ~100,000 2004-2006 model year Ranger pickup trucks that received replacement front-passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement frontal passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly. This means that airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Although Ford service instructions include diagrams and instructions for proper airbag inflator installation, technicians who mis-installed the inflator told Ford they did not review the instructions prior to installation. Ford did not name the “select dealerships (responsible) and a certain third-party mobile repair team,”  which discovered botched repair(s) in the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.*

Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge as required by federal law. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed 27 March 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 23S08. 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 23V125.

*During Ford Field Service Actions 17S42 and 18S02 recall repairs, the new frontal passenger airbag inflator may have been installed incorrectly in affected vehicles.