Ford Faces New NHTSA Probes Over Potential Seat Belt and Power Defects

U.S. Safety Agency Investigates New Defect Complaints in Ford Vehicles

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced two fresh investigations into possible safety defects in Ford vehicles, following the automaker’s recent settlement of a record civil penalty over recall-related violations.

The NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) is examining issues in two separate categories. The first probe concerns seat belt retractors in the 2019–2020 Ford Expedition. According to three complaints, owners reported hearing a loud noise followed by the seat belt rapidly tightening without a crash or impact. “The seat belt remains locked after this event,” the ODI noted. While Ford previously issued a recall for similar issues, the Expedition and 2018–2019 Lincoln Navigator models were not included in that recall.

The second investigation addresses complaints regarding loss of motive power in newer Ford Bronco and Maverick models. Owners allege that Ford’s remedies for earlier recalls failed to resolve the issue effectively, with 15 cases cited by the ODI.

Last week, Ford agreed to pay the second-largest civil penalty ever imposed by the NHTSA, stemming from allegations that the company failed to properly file recall details in a timely and accurate manner.

Ford has struggled with quality control problems in recent years, an issue that CEO Jim Farley has repeatedly emphasized as a priority for improvement. In a statement, a Ford spokesperson confirmed the automaker is cooperating with NHTSA’s ongoing investigations.