The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·20V497000·Announced 2020-08-21

Ford Recalls 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator for Side Air Bag Fastener Issue

Ford is recalling 2020 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles because side air bag fasteners may not be properly tightened, potentially affecting deployment during a crash.

What this means for you

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 safety-critical component (air bags) where a defect could increase the risk of injury during 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 2020 Ford Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The recall addresses a defect where the side air bag and/or seat back module attachments in the front seat backs may not have been properly tightened.

If the side air bag or seat back fasteners were not properly tightened, the side air bag deployment could be affected, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. The recall began on September 10, 2020.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats (VIN-specific) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
LINCOLN, FORD AVIATOR, EXPLORER
Brand
LINCOLN
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — SUV
Hazard
Affected units
488

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)

  • AVIATOR
  • EXPLORER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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Same hazard · air bag deployment

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