Ford recalls 2-million pickups in North America over fiery seat-belt fault
The safety campaign will cost Ford about $140m which will be reflected in its third-quarter earnings
Washington — Ford Motor will recall about 2-million F-150 pickups in North America to fix faulty seat-belt components that have sparked fires following crashes, after US automotive safety regulators began an investigation into the issue last month. The safety campaign will cost about $140m, and the expense will be reflected in Ford’s third-quarter earnings results, the second-largest US vehicle maker said in a regulatory filing. The company is maintaining its 2018 profit forecast. Faulty seat-belt pre-tensioners in the F-150s can spark excessively in a crash and ignite other materials or gases in the vehicle, according to a recall notice posted by the US’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Ford is aware of 17 reports of smoke or a fire in the US linked to the issue, but no injuries. Six incidents also were reported in Canada, according to a company statement. The pre-tensioners set off an explosive charge when sensors detect an accident to rapidly retract the b...
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