NHTSA closes recall query into 2018–2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles: Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
On November 15, 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ24015) into 2018–2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, concerning the seat belts. A Recall Query examines an earlier recall, for example whether its repair works or whether it covers every affected vehicle. ODI closed the recall query on July 23, 2025.
- Action
- RQ24015 (Recall Query)
- Status
- Closed July 23, 2025
- Component
- Seat Belts: Pretensioner
- Listed
- 4 make/model/year entries in NHTSA’s file
Vehicles under investigation
| Makes | Ford, Lincoln |
|---|---|
| Models | Expedition, Navigator |
| Model years | 2018–2020 |
As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.
What ODI says
On November 22, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE23021 to investigate complaints of front seat belt retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Expedition vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Some complaints alleged hearing a loud, explosion-like sound immediately followed by the seat belt tightening around the occupant’s torso area. The complaints did not state that a crash occurred that may have resulted in the deployment of the pretensioner system, suggesting that this deployment was inadvertent or otherwise unwarranted. On February 9, 2024, Ford issued safety recall 24V-099, recalling certain MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioners built between October 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. Ford described the defect as a seat belt retractor pretensioner assembly that may develop corroded squib pins, resulting in high resistance or an open circuit, which could result in an inadvertent deployment of a pretensioner and an increased risk of injury due to the loss of the pretensioner’s protection and a seat belt that remains in the locked position. This recall includes 77,574 vehicles. On November 15, 2024, ODI opened this Recall Query (RQ24015) after receiving 3 complaints involving vehicles not included in recall 23V-099 but that alleged a similar failure. As a result of this investigation, Ford issued safety recall 25V-197 on March 28, 2025, to expand the scope of 24V-099 to include MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioners built between October 1, 2018, and July 31, 2020. This recall includes 105,322 vehicles, some of which are also included in 24V-099. Additionally, on May 23, 2025, Ford issued 25V-197 Amendment #1, which further expands the recall population’s scope for vehicles with build dates of September 2018. This amendment added 7,627 additional vehicles to the 25V-197 population. In response to ODI’s inquiries in RQ24015, Ford indicated that it cannot conclusively determine the root cause of the relevant failure. Ford was able to determine that certain pretensioners may develop corroded squib pins potentially resulting in inadvertent deployment, but it was unable to specify the cause of corrosion. Without a specific root cause, Ford assessed field performance of pretensioners to determine the scope of the recalls. ODI is aware of three vehicles that experienced pretensioner inadvertent deployment that are not included in either 25V-197 or 24V-099. Two of these vehicles are MY 2018 Lincoln Navigator vehicles built prior to October 1, 2018, and both experienced failures after more than six years of use/exposure while the recalled vehicles experienced higher rate of failures with less exposure. The remaining incident involves a MY 2021 Ford Expedition that was built after July 31, 2020. ODI is not aware of any other relevant failures in vehicles built after July 31, 2020. As such, ODI has not currently identified a safety defect trend for this issue in vehicles outside of the recalled populations. ODI will continue to monitor allegations of pretensioner inadvertent deployment in subject vehicles that are not included in 25V-197. In view of the safety recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ24015). The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for RQ24015, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).
What owners have reported
Owners filed 1,360 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation, reporting 21 crashes, 15 fires, 92 injuries. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.
| Vehicle | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Expedition | 377 | 8 | 25 | 0 |
| 2019 Expedition | 510 | 8 | 40 | 0 |
| 2020 Expedition | 421 | 5 | 26 | 0 |
| 2018 Navigator | 52 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Recalls and problems for these vehicles
Related recalls
NHTSA links these recall campaigns to RQ24015.
Timeline
- ODI opens recall query RQ24015
- NHTSA recall 25V197000 (recall date)
- ODI closes RQ24015
What this means for owners
- ODI closes an investigation when a recall addresses the issue or when it does not find enough evidence to continue. NHTSA’s closing report gives the reason; the recalls above are the ones NHTSA links to it.
- Check your vehicle for open recalls with a free VIN recall check.
- Had this problem? File a complaint with NHTSA. Owner complaints are the evidence ODI uses to open and expand investigations.
Official record: search RQ24015 or your vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls, which lists investigations alongside recalls. Data: NHTSA ODI investigations file, updated daily. All NHTSA investigations.