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Ford Motor Company is recalling nearly 420,000 vehicles across the United States due to a seat belt defect that could increase the risk of injury in a crash. The recall affects certain Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from model years 2018 through 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The NHTSA stated that the issue involves the seat belt pretensioner on the driver or front passenger side, which may inadvertently lock the seat belt, preventing it from retracting or extending properly. If this happens, the seat belt may not restrain occupants as intended during a crash, thus raising the chance of injury. The recall affects 419,967 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
Ford will notify owners of the affected vehicles, and repairs will be conducted free of charge at authorized Ford dealerships. All safety recall repairs are federally mandated to be completed at no cost, regardless of the vehicle's age or number of previous owners. Owners are encouraged to check if their vehicle is included by entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into the NHTSA or Ford recall website.
At this time, additional details about the repair process have not been released. Ford is expected to begin notifying affected owners soon, and the recall will remain open until all vehicles are repaired.