Home › Ford › Explorer › 20V497000

Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator side airbag bolts may be loose

NHTSA campaign 20V497000 · Reported 2020-08-21 · Ford Motor Company

high How serious is it? About this label

This is serious because a side airbag that is not mounted correctly may not protect you in a crash; the notice does not tell owners to stop driving, but get it checked promptly.

What's wrong, in plain English

The side airbags sit inside the front seat backs. On these vehicles, the bolts holding the airbag and the seat back panel may not have been tightened enough at the factory. If they are loose, the side airbag may not work the way it should in a crash, so it may not protect the person in that seat properly. A dealer will take off the panel on the back of one or both front seats and check that everything is tight.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your vehicle is part of recall 20V497000 (Ford's number 20S48).
2. Call your Ford or Lincoln dealer, or Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332, to book the inspection.
3. Let the dealer open the seat backs and tighten the fasteners — the work is free of charge.

Affected vehicles (2)

2020 Ford Explorer
2020 Lincoln Aviator

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 airbag recalls: which models and years keep coming back? · all 13 Ford recalls in this area
Why do Lincoln airbag recalls keep hitting Aviator and Navigator? · all 5 Lincoln recalls in this area

Official notice

Component: AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles. The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs.
Safety risk: 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.
Remedy: 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. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S48.

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