COMPONENT FAILURE: The driver-side front seat belt retractor & pyrotechnic pretensioner assembly spontaneously & violently deployed while the vehicle was in motion. Immediately following the explosion, the vehicle's dashboard SRS/Airbag warning light illuminated & remains locked on. The component is currently intact & remains in…
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COMPONENT FAILURE: The driver-side front seat belt retractor & pyrotechnic pretensioner assembly spontaneously & violently deployed while the vehicle was in motion. Immediately following the explosion, the vehicle's dashboard SRS/Airbag warning light illuminated & remains locked on. The component is currently intact & remains inside the vehicle; it is fully available for physical inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: The component fired with a gunshot-like sound inside the enclosed cabin, forcefully locking & pinning the [XXX] driver against the seat. This sudden explosion & physical restraint severely startled the young driver, nearly causing a loss of vehicle control. Had this occurred seconds later as we exited the subdivision & turned onto CR 346 heading toward Whitehouse—which is a narrow, fast-moving two-lane county road with no shoulder—a severe head-on collision with oncoming traffic or a road-departure rollover would have been unavoidable. The incident caused ongoing shoulder/chest soreness to the [XXX] driver & extreme distress to an autistic passenger in the vehicle. Furthermore, the driver's safety belt is now completely flaccid & inoperable, leaving the driver with zero crash protection. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Not yet confirmed by tech. Dealer did not provide/offer an emergency drop-off or inspection stating a 4-day delay (Wednesday) would be likely- leaving 1-car family stranded. 3rd-PARTY INSPECTION: None. Vehicle remains parked at residence awaiting safe transport. WARNINGS/SYMPTOMS: Zero symptoms, alerts, or warnings prior to failure. SRS light triggered immediately at moment of deployment due to system fault. ADDITIONAL DATA: This incident is a direct failure under NHTSA Campaign Number 26V344 (Lincoln Service Action Code 26S34) regarding the spontaneous, unprovoked deployment of front seat belt retractor pretensioners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11760633
5,000 miles · Jan 17, 2020
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEATBELT PR TENSIONER FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING TO HER CHEST FROM THE S…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEATBELT PR TENSIONER FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING TO HER CHEST FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE 2 CHILDREN RECEIVED SMALL BRUISING TO THE FACE AND LEFT SHOULDER FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE OTHER VEHICLE INJURIES WERE UNKNOWN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS CONTACTED. THE OCCUPANT OF THE OTHER VEHICLE RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO APPLE FORD (8800 STANFORD BLVD, COLUMBIA, MD 21045 (410) 290-1100) WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.
NHTSA ODI #11300155
1,500 miles · Nov 7, 2019
Air BagsSeat Belts
RESTRAINTS INDICATOR LAMP WARNING LIGHT ON EVERY TIME PASSENGER GETS IN AND BUCKLED UP. WHILE IN MOTION IT WILL TURN ON! DEALER COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 19V076. At vehicle start-up, the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) may not function, showing a blank display. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A blank instrument cluster that fails to display critical safety information, such as vehicle speed or safety system warnings, increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C27. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Lincoln Aviator, 2018-2021 Lincoln Navigator, 2022-2023 Ford Transit, and 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles. The rearview camera, or 360-degree view camera if equipped, may not display a rearview image when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, and update the software and wiring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 20, 2023 to Lincoln owners. Ford vehicle owners notification letters were mailed March 4, 2024. Ford remedy parts are anticipated 2nd Quarter 2024. Ford's number for this recall is 23S48.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The rear suspension toe link fasteners may not have been properly tightened to the frame, possibly allowing separation from the frame.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A disconnected toe link can cause a sudden change to vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the rear toe link fasteners, check and adjust the rear toe alignment, and inspect the rear tires for abnormal tire wear, replacing them if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S36.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. At vehicle start-up, the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC) may not function, showing a blank display. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A blank instrument cluster will not show important information like vehicle speed, fuel or temperature level, or safety system warnings. Driving with an inoperative cluster can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will reprogram the Instrument Panel Cluster Assembly (IPC), free of charge. The recall began March 8, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C03.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE23021 · Seat Belt Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
Opened Nov 22, 2023 · Closed Jul 29, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:pretensioner
On November 22, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-021 to investigate instances of seat belt pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Expedition vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Some complaints allege hearing a loud, explosion-like sound immediately followed by the seatbelt tightening around the occupant’s torso area. The complaints do not allege a crash occurred that may have resulted in the deployment of the pretensioner system. The investigation revealed certain seatbelt pretensioners may develop corroded squib pins where the bridge wire (heating element of pyro-technic device) is welded. Extended corrosion and a partial separation of the weld may cause a high resistance or an open circuit condition to occur, potentially resulting in pretensioner inadvertent deployment. Inadvertent pretensioner deployment will result in the seatbelt being locked in position, no longer able to extend or retract as designed, which may result in injury in the event of a crash. 11 minor injuries were reported due this failure. Most injuries were bruising to the torso area caused by the rapid tightening of the seatbelt during an inadvertent deployment. On February 9, 2024, Ford filed recall 24V099 for certain MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles with production dates between October 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. The recall remedy provides the replacement of both front seatbelt retractors if found to have a production date code within the suspect production date range. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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