The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·12V034000·Announced 2012-02-02

Ford Recalls 2012 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator for Head Restraint Defect

Ford is recalling 2012 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles because inadequate welds on second-row head restraint brackets may fail to provide required strength in a crash.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (inadequate welds on head restraint brackets) that increases the risk of injury in a crash, but the source text does not report any specific injuries or fatalities, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2012 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles manufactured between November 19, 2011, and December 2, 2011. The recall addresses a defect where the vehicles may have inadequate welds on the head restraint support brackets for the second-row, right-hand seat. This condition causes the vehicles to fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 202, "Head Restraints."

In the event of a crash, the seat head restraint may not provide the required strength, which increases the risk of injury. The recall campaign number is 12C22, and the NHTSA recall number is 12V034000.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 21, 2012. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
LINCOLN, FORD NAVIGATOR, EXPEDITION
Brand
LINCOLN
Manufacturer
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Category
Vehicle — SUV
Hazard
Affected units
569

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • NAVIGATOR
  • EXPEDITION

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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