Ford Recalling 2 Million Vehicles Over Fire Risk

Ford is recalling nearly 2 million F-150 pickups due to an issue with the seatbelts that can cause smoke to fill the vehicle and potentially cause a fire.

The recall of the F-150, part of Ford's broader F-Series line-up that collectively make up the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., was prompted after an issue was reported with the vehicle's seatbelt pretensioner system, which uses a small, pyrotechnic charge to cinch seatbelts in the event of a collision.

According to Ford, the pretensioner "can generate excessive sparks when they deploy," and gases created by the pretensioner "may ignite," potentially causing "components behind the B-pillar, such as insulation and carpet may subsequently catch fire."

Ford is aware of 17 reports of smoke or fire in F-150s sold in the U.S., as well as six in Canada, though none of the incidents have resulted in accidents or injuries.

The vehicles affected by the recall include 2015-2018 Ford F-150 vehicles built at the Dearborn Assembly Plant between March 12, 2014 through Aug. 23, 2018, as well as 2015-2018 Ford F-150 vehicles built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant from Aug. 20, 2014 through Aug. 23, 2018.

Of the 1,995,776 vehicles affected by the recall in North America, 1.619 million were sold in the United States, 339,884 in Canada, and 36,780 in Mexico.

According to USA Today, the estimated cost of the recall is $140 million.

The recall comes just months after the March recall of nearly 1.4 million midsize cars in North America due to reports that the steering wheels could detach from the steering column, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles. The affected vehicles in that recall were said to be certain Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ cars from the 2014 through 2018 model years.

At the time, Ford reported that it was aware of two crashed caused by the steering wheel bolts loosening, as well as one reported injury.

The March recall came five months after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into reports of steering wheels detaching from Fusions from the 2014 through 2016 model years.

In recent months and years, the auto company has faced reports of doors flying open when vehicles made turns, prompting a door-latch recall that cost Ford more than $600 million. That recall covered more than a million vehicles, including 2014 through 2016 Ford Fusions manufactured at the Flat Rock, Michigan plant from Aug. 6, 2013, through Feb. 29, 2016, 2014 through 2018 Fusions made at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico, plant from July 25, 2013 through through March 5, 2018, as well as 2014 through 2018 Lincoln MKZs manufactured at the same Mexico plant plant from July 25, 2013, through March 5, 2018.