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Ford Transit Shuttle Foldaway Seat Locking Problem

NHTSA campaign 19V238000 · Reported Mar 26, 2019 · Vantage Mobility International, LLC

medium How serious is it? About this label

If the seat back doesn't stay locked, an occupant could be more likely to be injured if the seat moves during a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	19V238000
Reported to NHTSA	Mar 26, 2019
Manufacturer	Vantage Mobility International, LLC
Part affected	Seats
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2018
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

Some Ford Transit shuttle vehicles have foldaway back seats that may not lock securely when raised into the upright position. If the seat is under load, such as during a crash or sudden stop, the seat cushion could fail to stay locked in place.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your vehicle is included.
2. Contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 for a repair kit.
3. The repair is free.

Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?

Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 19V238000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2018 Ford Transit

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Ford Seat Recalls Involving Unlocked Seatbacks and Unexpected Movement · all 21 Ford recalls in this area

Other Ford Transit recalls

Dec 17, 2025Wheelchair Restraints in Various Vehicles May Not Lockhigh
Sep 4, 2025Ford Rearview Camera May Show Distorted Imagemedium
Jun 27, 2025Ford and Lincoln rearview cameras may show blank imagemedium
Jul 19, 2023Ford Transit Fuel Hose May Leak Gasolinecritical
Dec 16, 2021Ford Transit AWD Driveshaft Bolts May Loosenhigh
Aug 11, 2021Ford Transit parking brake cable may failhigh

All 22 Transit recalls

Official notice

Component: SEATS
Summary: Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit Van, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2007 Ford F-250-based shuttle vehicles equipped with Freedman GO-3S foldaway seats. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop.
Safety risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Vantage has notified owners, instructing them to contact Freedman for a repair kit, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.