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Ford Explorer Rear Seat Belt Buckle Unsecured

NHTSA campaign 20V549000 · Reported Sep 10, 2020 · Ford Motor Company

high How serious is it? About this label

A seat belt buckle that isn't properly secured may fail to restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign number	20V549000
Reported to NHTSA	Sep 10, 2020
Manufacturer	Ford Motor Company
Part affected	Seat Belts: Rear/other:buckle Assembly
Vehicles covered	1 model/year combination, model years 2020
Do-not-drive advisory	No
Park-outside advisory	No
Repair	Free at any franchised dealer

What's wrong, in plain English

On some Explorer vehicles, the buckle for the second row center seat belt may not be properly secured to the seat. If the buckle isn't attached the way it should be, the seat belt may not stay in place and may fail to work correctly to hold an occupant securely in their seat during a crash, when it matters most.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2. Contact a Ford dealer (Ford customer service: 1-866-436-7332) to have the second row center seat assembly replaced.
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 20V549000. More in how recalls work.

Affected vehicles (1)

2020 Ford Explorer

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 Belt Recalls Involving Anchors, Retractors, and Buckles · all 18 Ford recalls in this area

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All 68 Explorer recalls

Official notice

Component: SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Summary: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with second row center seat belt buckles that may not be properly secured to the seat.
Safety risk: Vehicles with seat belt buckles that are not properly secured may fail to restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the second row center seat assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S50.

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