Ford recalls nearly 420,000 vehicles over faulty seat belts

Ford Motor is recalling nearly 420,000 vehicles due to a seat belt issue that can increase passengers’ risk of injury.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a recall notice that the seat belts in certain Expedition and Lincoln vehicles may inadvertently lock, preventing the belt from retracting or extending. The recall affects vehicles with model years 2018 to 2022. 

“Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash,” NHTSA said.

Ford reported to the safety agency that it is aware of one injury related to the faulty seatbelts. 

The automaker will start notifying affected vehicle owners by mail on June 8. Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the seat belt retractors at no cost. The recall number is 26S34.

Separately, the Detroit automaker issued a “Do Not Drive” warning affecting 4,653 Ford Maverick and Bronco Sport vehicles due to improper assembly of their suspension systems.

The “front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle,” Ford said in the notice. 

The recall pertains to some 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. Ford advised owners =not to drive the vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the defective parts free of charge, according to the recall notice. 

Contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 for further information. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S36.