DEARBORN, MICHIGAN / Content Syndication Services / — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 419,967 vehicles in the United States because front seat belt retractor pretensioners may deploy inadvertently, leaving belts locked and unable to retract or extend properly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall covers certain 2018-2022 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicles and is listed as NHTSA Recall No. 26V344 and Ford Recall No. 26S34.
The affected population includes 342,283 Ford Expedition vehicles and 77,684 Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The Expedition vehicles were produced from May 15, 2017, through Oct. 25, 2022, while the Navigator vehicles were produced from May 15, 2017, through Oct. 26, 2022. Federal recall documents estimate that 3 percent of the potentially involved vehicles contain the defect.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the primary seat belt locking functions continue to operate, but inadvertent deployment of the retractor pretensioner can leave the seat belt locked in position. A seat belt that cannot retract or extend may fail to restrain occupants as intended in a crash, and rapid belt retraction in some cases can also cause injury. Ford reported one injury, two warranty claims and two field reports linked to the latest recall.
Recall expands earlier actions
The new action supersedes and expands two earlier recalls involving related seat belt pretensioner concerns in Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. Those actions were identified as Ford recalls 24S06 and 25S31, with corresponding NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Ford said vehicles covered by the latest action were not produced in VIN order, making individual vehicle identification necessary through company or dealer systems.
Recall documents identify the cause as propellant in the retractor pretensioner that may degrade in high-heat environments. The degradation can produce by-products that oxidize internal components over time, leading to unintended pretensioner deployment. Ford said an airbag malfunction light may illuminate in the instrument cluster before inadvertent deployment occurs, providing an observable warning to the occupant.
Dealers to inspect retractors
Ford dealers will inspect both front seat belt retractors and replace any retractors covered by the recall at no cost to owners. The company said owners can contact Ford customer service or a Ford or Lincoln dealer to determine whether a specific vehicle is included. Vehicle owners can also use the federal recall lookup system by entering a vehicle identification number.
Dealer notifications were scheduled from May 29 through June 5, with interim owner notification letters planned from June 8 through June 12. Final remedy letters are scheduled from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. The recall applies to light vehicles in the United States and covers two of Ford’s largest sport utility vehicle nameplates, including the luxury Lincoln Navigator line sold through the company’s Lincoln brand.