NHTSA Probes About 1.24 Million Ford Explorers After Seat Airbag Deployments Left Occupants With Serious Burns
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation opened a preliminary evaluation, PE26008, on November 6 into an estimated 1,236,155 Ford Explorer vehicles from model years 2021 through 2026, including Explorer Police Interceptor models used by law enforcement, the agency said. The action became public on November 9.
NHTSA received eight vehicle owner questionnaires and four early warning reporting "death and injury" reports alleging that deployment of the seat-mounted side airbag caused serious burn injuries. Excluding duplicates, the reports cover 11 incidents and 10 injuries, with no deaths. Burns were reported for both drivers and front passengers, typically diagnosed as second- or third-degree burns requiring medical treatment, and some reports involved law enforcement officers in Police Interceptors.
A preliminary evaluation is the first formal step of a defect investigation, not a recall. NHTSA said it opened the evaluation to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of the alleged defect. No recall or repair has been announced, and there is no official instruction to owners at this stage. (Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：一辆基于探险者平台的福特警用拦截多功能车在执勤。Wikimedia Commons 图片（CC BY 4.0）。 / Photo: A Ford Police Interceptor Utility, built on the Explorer platform, on duty. Image via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
