Ford is recalling close to 420,000 vehicles in the United States after the discovery of two separate safety problems, one tied to seat belts and the other to a suspension fault serious enough to trigger a do-not-drive warning. The two actions affect several of the company's most popular models and, between them, touch hundreds of thousands of drivers who are now being urged to have their vehicles checked and fixed.
The larger of the two recalls covers nearly 420,000 vehicles and centres on a defect in the seat belts. The affected models are certain Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles built between the 2018 and 2022 model years. According to the recall, the seat belts in these vehicles may lock inadvertently, leaving them unable to retract or extend the way they are supposed to during normal use.
That malfunction carries real risks for occupants. If the belt is locked and does not work correctly, a person could be injured in the event of a crash because the restraint may not perform as designed. Regulators also warned that in some instances the seat belt could retract rapidly, which is itself a way that someone inside the vehicle could end up being hurt even outside of a collision.
The second recall is smaller in number but more urgent in tone, as it comes with a do-not-drive warning. It applies to roughly 4,700 Bronco Sport vehicles from the 2021 through 2026 model years and Maverick vehicles from the 2022 through 2026 model years. Owners of those particular vehicles are being told not to drive them until the problem has been addressed by a dealer.
The reason for that strong warning lies in the front suspension. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at an assembly plant. As a result, the control arm could disconnect from the front wheel knuckle, an event that can cause a loss of control of the vehicle and increase the chances of a crash.
For owners caught up in either recall, Ford has said that the repairs will not cost them anything. Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and carry out the necessary work free of charge, whether that means addressing the seat belt mechanism or correcting the suspension components at the heart of the do-not-drive order. The company is encouraging customers to act rather than wait.
Drivers who want to know whether their vehicle is included can seek further details directly from the manufacturer or from federal safety regulators. Ford has pointed owners to its customer service line, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also maintains its own hotline and database for recall information. Both recalls underline how a single faulty component can quickly affect a very large number of vehicles on the road.