Ford is recalling 2020 Explorer vehicles with potential side air bag deployment issues due to improper seat back fastening. Owners must have front seat back panels checked by dealers for free.
If the side air bag or seat back fasteners were not properly tightened, the side air bag deployment could be affected, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Ford is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles because the side air bags might not deploy properly during crashes if seat back fasteners weren't tightened correctly. This could increase injury risk in collisions.
If the seat back fasteners aren't tightened correctly, the side air bag might not deploy properly during a crash. This could lead to increased injury risk for occupants.
Owners of 2020 Ford Explorers with front seat back fasteners that weren't properly tightened. Drivers and front-seat passengers are most at risk during crashes.
Check if your 2020 Ford Explorer has front seat back panels that were not properly tightened. The recall covers specific VINs and began September 10, 2020.
Call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 to get your vehicle checked for the recall.
Dealers will remove front seat back panels and verify seat back fasteners are properly tightened at no cost.
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S48.
The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs, which could affect air bag deployment during crashes.
Your 2020 Ford Explorer is affected if it has specific VINs where the front seat back fasteners weren't properly tightened, as noted in the recall that began September 10, 2020.
Contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 to have dealers check your front seat back panels for proper fastening at no cost.
We’ve drafted a message you can send Ford to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 20V497000 — Ford Ford Hello, I own a Ford that is covered by recall 20V497000 from Ford. The official recall notice states: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S48. I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this? Thank you.
Experiences, tips, and questions from readers. Every comment is reviewed before it appears.
No comments yet — be the first to share your experience.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
