- The company was alerted to an issue after Transport Canada received a customer complaint.
- An improperly secured seatbelt buckle anchor bolt needs to be repaired.
- Ford and Lincoln dealerships have been instructed to replace any faulty seat components.
A seatbelt-related issue has prompted Ford to recall more than 240,000 vehicles in the United States. The recall impacts certain 2020-2021 Ford Explorer and 2020-2021 Lincoln Aviator models, with the owners to be notified on March 31. So, what has Ford done wrong this time?
Ford was first alerted to a possible issue in November 2024 by Transport Canada after it received a customer complaint about a loose or uninstalled second-row center seatbelt anchor bolt on their 2020 Explorer. Ford’s Critical Concern Review Group opened an investigation into the matter.
Read: Ford Drops Four Recalls In One Day, Hitting Mustang, F-Series, And More
Earlier this year, Ford determined that “undocumented seat rework had been performed outside of standard operating procedures,” and it discovered four warranty claims related to loose or missing anchor bolts.
In the recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on February 14, Ford says there could be an improperly secured seatbelt buckle anchor bolt at one or more seat positions, as well as a potentially improperly secured seatbelt retractor anchor bolt in the second-row center seat.
In total, 216,563 Explorer models built between October 19, 2018, and July 11, 2020, are impacted. The recall also includes 23,947 Lincoln Aviators assembled from October 19, 2018, to July 11, 2020. Ford says that owners of impacted models may hear a squeak or rattle if there’s an unsecured anchor bolt.
As mentioned, owners will be alerted to the recall at the end of March. Ford and Lincoln dealerships have been instructed to inspect the subject bolts and replace any affected seat components free of charge. Any owners who have previously paid to get the issue fixed will also be reimbursed.
