Ford is recalling nearly 420,000 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs in the United States because the front seat belt retractors may lock unexpectedly, preventing the belts from retracting or extending, federal safety regulators said Tuesday.
The recall, detailed in a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, covers certain 2018 through 2022 model-year Expeditions and Navigators. The NHTSA said a seat belt that does not retract or extend properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. In some instances, the report added, the belt could retract rapidly and cause injury.
The action replaces and expands two earlier safety recalls involving the same component, according to the NHTSA document. Ford Motor Co. told the agency it is aware of two warranty claims and two field reports related to the latest recall. The company also said it knows of one injury associated with the defect.
Vehicle owners will receive notification letters in the mail. They can take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer, where both front seat belt retractors will be inspected and, if needed, replaced at no cost.
The recall is the latest in a series of large-scale safety actions by Ford this year. In April, the automaker recalled more than 422,000 vehicles over wiper arms that could break and stop working. In March, Ford recalled 1.74 million vehicles for rearview camera display defects. And in April, the company recalled 1.4 million F-150 trucks for a gearshift defect that could allow the vehicle to roll unexpectedly.
Ford has not announced a timeline for the start of notification to owners, but such mailings typically begin within 60 days of a recall being filed with NHTSA.