Recall Alert: Your Ford Ranger Might Have a Faulty Seat Belt
Andrew Koole
· 3 min read
Ford is
recalling
over 47,000 2019-2021 model-year Ford Ranger SuperCabs because of a potential assembly problem with the front passenger seat belt. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informed Ford of the issue in July.A recall of the midsize pickup truck was issued in 2019 for the same problem but only applied to just over 7,500 units. Altogether, the three model years share a total of eight recalls, including child seat attachment problems, taillight outages, and malfunctioning rearview cameras.
Regulations require seat belts to be routed through a metal anchor, but the belts in question only have a rubber trim. So far, no collisions or injuries were reported to be caused by the problem.
The details of the Ford Ranger recall
Ford issued the new Ford Ranger seat belt recall on October 15.
Consumer Reports
says it concerns only the front passenger seat belt, not the backseat or driver’s seat belts. In most recalls, owners are asked to bring their vehicles into the dealership for inspection, but instead, Ford is instructing Ranger drivers on how to inspect the seat belt themselves.
Any necessary replacements will be done at dealerships, free of charge. Dealer inspections are available to anyone not comfortable performing the task.
Owners of the units included in the recall should be notified by November 15, but you can check before that by plugging your vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into the recall search engine on NHTSA’s website.
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Why participating in a recall matters
Recalls are a regular part of auto safety policy. Participating in them is easy, free, and extremely important. They can be shockingly expensive for automakers to do, so they aren’t issued without careful consideration.
If you discover that your vehicle is part of a recall, have it examined as soon as possible. Simply type your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and you’ll find all the info about recalls related to your car.
The local dealer of your car’s brand can also let you know if your particular vehicle is part of any open recalls. You can call them to ask. If your VIN is listed, they’ll inspect and repair any recall-related issues for free.
Other protection for malfunctioning vehicles
Mistakes made by automakers are often covered by recalls and warranties, but some problems will always fall through the cracks. Unknown or unique flaws can happen.
If you want more assurance that you won’t be stuck with hefty repair bills, you can add
mechanical breakdown insurance
to your policy to protect you from unexpected defects in your car. Mechanical breakdown coverage isn’t necessarily for everyone, but it’s usually cheaper than extended warranties, and it covers the same types of issues.
You can find the best prices for mechanical breakdown insurance by shopping with
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