Ford Motor Company has announced a recall affecting almost 420,000 vehicles due to a seat belt issue that poses a risk of injury in the event of a crash. The recall includes certain models of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator from the years 2018 through 2022. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the seat belts in these vehicles may inadvertently lock, preventing them from retracting or extending properly. This malfunction could lead to injury during a crash, and there have been reports of rapid retraction causing injury in some cases.

This recall is an expansion of two previous recalls issued by the NHTSA. Ford has acknowledged two warranty claims and two field reports related to this issue, as well as one reported injury. Owners of the affected vehicles will receive notifications by mail and can have the front seat belt retractors inspected and replaced at no cost at Ford or Lincoln dealerships.

Do-Not-Drive Order for Bronco Sport and Maverick

In addition to the seat belt recall, Ford has issued a do-not-drive warning for thousands of Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles due to problems with the suspension system. The NHTSA reports that the front lower control arm ball joints in these vehicles may have been improperly installed or repaired, which could lead to the control arm detaching from the front wheel knuckle. Such a detachment could result in a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash.

The suspension issue affects 4,600 Bronco Sport vehicles from model years 2021 through 2026 and Maverick vehicles from model years 2022 through 2026. Ford dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as needed, free of charge. Vehicle owners are encouraged to contact Ford customer service or the NHTSA for further information regarding these recalls.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.