Ford is recalling over 100,000 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs due to a problem with the seatbelts. Those could jam and not retract or worse, not deploy in the event of an accident.
This is the second time Ford has issued a recall for this problem.
The problem
According to the recall notice, the source of the problem is a defective pretensioner, an important safety device that uses a controlled explosive charge to create the necessary tension with the belt at the beginning of an accident, in order to prevent injuries.
If this mechanism deploys when it is not supposed to, it can surprise the driver and lead to a wrong manoeuvre, potentially causing an accident.
Owners may see the airbag warning light on the dashboard, indicating a problem.
On the Transport Canada website, the issue is described as follows:
“On certain vehicles, there could be a problem with the driver and/or front passenger seatbelt pretensioner(s). As a result, the airbag warning light could turn on, and the seatbelt pretensioners could deploy without a crash.”
The solution
Owners will be asked to bring their vehicle to a Ford service centre to have the front pretensioners inspected and, if necessary, replaced.
In documents provided by Ford to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in the U.S., the company states it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this problem, but that there have been 17 reports of issues received by dealerships.
Before the first recall addressing the issue, Ford received 11 reports of incidents involving injuries.
Ford initially believed that a water leak from the climate control system could be the cause of the problem, but right now it is looking at the pretensioners themselves being defective.
