Seatback Strength at Centre of New Ford Recall

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, a much-championed midsize crossover only just entering dealerships, has earned the second recall of its very short life. The crossover, along with the current- and previous-generation Explorer, the Ford Expedition, F-150, and Super Duty line are nameplates involved in a recall concerned with seatback strength.

According to Ford, vehicles may have left the factory “missing the third pawl required for seatback strength,” meaning that seatback may not stay in place in the event of a crash. The recall covers more than half a million vehicles sold in North America.

The recall divides vehicles potentially equipped with weak front-seat seatbacks from those with a problem in the rear. Models with a front-seat problem include the 2018-19 Explorer, 2019-20 Expedition, 2018-20 F-150, and 2019-20 Super Duty models, but only those equipped with manual seatback recliner mechanisms. The 2020 Explorer and Aviator are being called back for their rear outboard seats.

Again, only those with manual reclining mechanisms.

“A seatback with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury,” the automaker stated.

Some 483,325 U.S. vehicles fall under the recall, with a further 58,712 located in Canada. Mexico’s share is 8,149 vehicles. As some of these models are just appearing on dealer lots (or are on their way there), dealers will inspect their inventory before making any sales.

“Most vehicles are expected to pass the inspection and not require repair,” Ford claims. “If a repair is required, the dealer will replace the seat structure. There will be no charge to the customer for these services.”

The Aviator is a very new addition to Lincoln’s utility vehicle lineup (Cars.com shows just 920 vehicles currently available in the U.S.) but this isn’t its first recall. On August 5th, Ford placed a demonstration and delivery hold on the model after discovering some vehicles may have left the factory while still in “Factory Mode” — a setting that disables warning alerts and doesn’t show the selected transmission gear in the gauge cluster. It was also determined that the manual park release (MPR) cover could be missing.

[Image: Ford Motor Company]