Ford recalls more than 179,000 vehicles over front seat defect

Ford is recalling over 179,000 vehicles due to a front seat issue that can increase the risk of injury in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The recall impacts 117,443 Ford Bronco SUVs with model years 2024 through 2026, and 62,255 Ford Ranger pickup trucks with model years 2024 through 2026.

According to the federal agency, the affected vehicles are equipped with front seat height-adjust pivot link bolts that may loosen or dislodge from the pivot joint.

Owners of impacted vehicles will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to inspect the bolts. Any bolts that fail the inspection will be replaced, free of charge, federal officials said.   

Ford is expected to send initial letters regarding the safety risk between May 11 and May 15, according to the federal agency. Additional letters notifying owners confirming the fix is available are expected to be issued between July 13 and July 17.

The Michigan-based automaker last month recalled nearly 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks due to a gearshift issue that can increase the risk of a crash, the federal agency said.