8 ON YOUR SIDE CONSUMER ALERT: Ford issues two recalls, including “do not drive” safety warning

8 ON YOUR SIDE CONSUMER ALERT (WAKA) – Ford Motor Company has issued two recalls, one of which comes with a “do not drive” safety alert for owners.

The first recall is for almost 420,000 vehicles because of a seat belt issue that may result in an injury in a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recall includes some 2018-2022 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

The issue involves seat belts that may lock inadvertently, not allowing them to retract or extend. The NHTSA report says a seat belt that doesn’t retract or extend may result in an injury if a crash happens. Individuals may also face injury in some instances if the seat belt retracts rapidly.

The recall replaces and expands on two previous NHTSA recalls. The report states that Ford Motor Co. is aware of two warranty claims and two field reports related to the latest recall. The company is also aware of one injury.

Vehicle owners will receive a notification in the mail about the recall. They can take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have both front seat belt retractors inspected and to replace retractors involved in the recall for free.

The second recall is for about 4,600 2021-2026 Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2026 Maverick pickups. Ford issued a do-not-drive warning for those vehicles, due to problems with the suspension systems.

The NHTSA said that the front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at an assembly plant, and the control arm could disconnect from the front wheel knuckle. If a control arm detaches, it can cause a loss of control, increasing the chances of a crash.

Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, for free.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 for more information about the recalls.

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