When you purchase a vehicle, new or used, it’s important to make sure the manufacturer knows that you are the new owner of the car. This may be important for warranty reasons, but it is also important so that you are advised of any safety recalls that are issued that may apply to your vehicle. If you are the owner of a Ford F-Series crew cab truck, a new safety recall may apply to you. It affects the rear seat belts which could detach in a crash and cause serious injury or even death.
Ford Motor Company has announced a voluntary safety recall of over 117,000 F-Series trucks with crew cabs in the U.S. related to issues with the rear seat belts. Additionally, Ford is recalling approximately 24,000 trucks from Canada and Mexico for the same issue. After reviewing customer complaints, Ford has determined that certain 2015-2017 F-Series trucks with crew cabs have a left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly that may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket and come loose during a crash.
According to Ford, no accidents or injuries to date have been reported from the defect. Although it noted that in the recalled vehicles, inadequate thickness of the rivet head in the left rear seat belt buckle may allow separation from the mounting bracket during a crash, thereby increasing the risk of injury.
Vehicles Affected
2015-2017 F-150
2017 F-250
2017 F-350
These are the vehicles that Ford has currently included in the recall. To find out if your vehicle is affected, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline 1-888-327-4236 or visit their website.
How to Fix It
Ford is contacting owners of affected vehicles to advise them to take the truck in to a dealer for inspection. Ford dealers are handling the recall by inspecting the seat belt assembly in potentially affected trucks and replacing the attaching rivet free of charge. For more information, consumers can call Ford Customer Service at 1-866-436-7332 and refer to Recall Number 17C12.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a vehicle-related accident, you need knowledgeable and experienced lawyers on your side. The attorneys at Alexander Law Group, LLP will provide a free case evaluation to discuss your rights. With convenient office locations in San Jose and San Francisco, our team stands by ready to help. Contact us at 888.777.1776 or visit our website at www.alexanderlaw.com to find out more.
