Ford Recalls Nearly 420,000 Vehicles Over Seat Belt Safety Hazards
Dearborn, Wednesday, 3 June 2026.
Alongside a massive seat belt defect fix, Ford issued an urgent ‘do not drive’ advisory for 4,653 Bronco Sport and Maverick models facing severe front suspension failures.
A Massive Sweep Addressing Seat Belt Defects
On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, U.S. auto regulators announced that Ford Motor Company (F) is recalling precisely 419,967 vehicles across the United States [4]. The safety action targets specific Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator models manufactured between the 2018 and 2022 model years [2][4]. The core of the issue lies in the seat belt pretensioners located in the driver and front passenger seats, which can inadvertently lock [4]. This malfunction prevents the seat belts from properly retracting or extending, ultimately failing to restrain occupants as intended and heightening the risk of injury during a collision [2][4].
Critical Suspension Failures Prompt Urgent Grounding
While the seat belt recall affects a massive volume of vehicles, a simultaneous and far more urgent directive was issued for a smaller subset of Ford’s lineup [3]. On May 27, 2026, the automaker issued a strict “do not drive” advisory for 4653 vehicles, totaling 4,653 units [1]. This critical warning impacts certain 2021 through 2026 Ford Bronco Sport models and 2022 through 2026 Ford Maverick vehicles [1][5]. The NHTSA highlighted that the front lower control arm ball joints on these specific vehicles may have been incorrectly installed or improperly repaired at the assembly plant [3][5].
Comprehensive Remediation and Market Reaction
To mitigate the fallout and support affected consumers, Ford has outlined a comprehensive remediation strategy. The automaker has committed to covering all repair costs and is allowing dealerships to claim up to $250 per vehicle for towing services [1]. Recognizing the inconvenience of potential parts delays, Ford is also pre-approving rental vehicle costs for up to 30 days [1]. Furthermore, owners who previously paid out-of-pocket for suspension repairs are eligible for a refund, provided the work is completed before the deadline of June 19, 2026 [1]. Notification letters for affected owners are expected to be mailed by June 5, 2026 [5].