Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator rear headrest bracket weld

NHTSA campaign 20V366000 · Reported 2020-06-23 · Ford Motor Company

medium How serious is it? About this label

This is an injury risk in a crash rather than a failure while driving, and the notice does not tell owners to stop driving the vehicle.

What's wrong, in plain English

The bracket that holds the headrest on the driver's side second-row seat may not have been welded to the seat frame well enough. A weak weld means the headrest could be weaker than it should be. In a crash, it may not hold a passenger's head back the way it is supposed to, so someone sitting in that seat could get hurt more than they otherwise would. The seat does not meet the federal safety rule for head restraints. A dealer will look at the seat and replace it if needed.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your vehicle is included. 2. Call your Ford or Lincoln dealer, or Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 (recall 20C12), to schedule an inspection. 3. Have the seat inspected and replaced if needed — the repair is free.

Affected vehicles (2)

2020 Ford Expedition
2020 Lincoln Navigator

Who to contact

Ford — official Ford recall lookup

Customer service: 1-866-436-7332

Lincoln — official Lincoln 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: loose seat backs and foldaway van seats · all 21 Ford recalls in this area
Lincoln seat recalls: seats that shift, fold or recline · all 8 Lincoln recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The attachment bracket for the driver's side second-row seat headrest may not have been sufficiently welded to the seat frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Safety risk: An improperly welded headrest bracket may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began July 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C12.

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