Ford Seatbelt Recall
Ford recalls nearly 420,000 Expedition and Navigator vehicles for critical seat belt issue.
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Ford is recalling nearly 420,000 vehicles over a seat belt defect that could cause injuries in a crash, according to AP. The recall covers certain 2018–2022 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. It is the third expansion of a safety investigation that began in 2024.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the new recall report on June 2, 2026, identified as campaign 26V344000, NHTSA confirmed. The exact number of affected vehicles is 419,967, according to Reuters.
A Three-Year Defect That Kept Getting Bigger
The original recall started small. In February 2024, Ford issued recall 24S06 for about 77,000 vehicles from model years 2018–2020, according to 5 News Online. The issue was corroded pins inside the seat belt pretensioner — the device that tightens your belt during a crash. Those pins could cause the pretensioner to fire on its own, even while the car was just running.
Ford issued a second recall in May 2025, labeled 25S31, after field data showed the problem was more widespread than first thought. By June 2026, regulators expanded the recall again — this time to include all model years through 2022. So far, the defect is linked to one known injury, two field reports, and two warranty claims, according to The Washington Post.
What the Defect Does and Why It Is Dangerous
Seat belt pretensioners are designed to lock and pull the belt tight the moment a crash is detected. When the pins inside the retractor corrode, resistance builds up. This can cause the pretensioner to deploy at the wrong time — or fail to work properly during an actual crash, according to ABC10.
For drivers and passengers in large SUVs like the Expedition and Navigator, a seat belt that fails during a crash is a serious safety risk. These are heavy vehicles that can weigh over 5,500 pounds. A belt that does not retract or extend correctly could mean the difference between a minor injury and a fatal one.
Ford Leads the Industry in Recalls — By a Wide Margin
This recall is part of a much larger pattern. Ford has led the U.S. auto industry in total recalls for four straight years — 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. As of May 5, 2026, Ford had issued 34 recalls covering nearly 9.8 million vehicles in 2026 alone, according to Motor1. The company spent roughly $5.2 billion on warranty and recall claims in 2025.
In late 2024, the NHTSA fined Ford and placed it under a three-year consent order for failing to comply with federal recall rules, according to KENS5. Ford CEO Jim Farley has called the wave of recalls a sign of a "root cause" approach — fixing old problems rather than ignoring them. Critics argue the repeated expansion of the same seat belt recall shows that Ford's initial fixes were not thorough enough.
What Owners Should Do Right Now
Ford will begin mailing notification letters to affected owners around June 8, 2026, according to Tri-City Record. A second letter will follow in August 2026 once the final repair parts are ready. Owners do not need to wait — they can take their vehicle to any Ford or Lincoln dealership for a free inspection now.
To check if your vehicle is affected, visit NHTSA.gov and enter your 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN. You can also call Ford's customer service line. The repair will be done at no cost to the owner, according to WGRZ.
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