Ford is recalling nearly a million trucks and SUVs for missing owner’s manual information. The books for several Ford and Lincoln models lack information about some of the head restraints in the vehicles.
The recall involves certain 2018-2023 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs equipped with third-row seats. It also includes the 2019-2023 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, and F-600 Super Duty trucks in SuperCab or regular cab configurations with the three-passenger front bench seat. It involves 979,797 vehicles.
The owner’s manual does not have instructions for adjusting and removing these extra headr restraints, which could increase the risk of an injury if the vehicle is involved in an accident. Ford will rectify the issue by mailing customers an owner’s manual supplement with the information. The automaker will begin notifying owners on July 10.
Ford first learned of an issue with the owner’s manual on May 11. An investigation determined that an error in the review process resulted in the manuals being printed without the required information, violating the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard. On May 17, Ford’s Critical Care Review Group discovered the information was missing from the various models. The automaker is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to the missing instructions.
This isn’t the first time an automaker has had to have a recall related to the owner’s manual. Subaru issued one for the 2022 WRX in January because its manual might have contained incorrect instructions for adjusting the model’s high-beam sensitivity. Subaru only had to recall 4,615 vehicles.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s DataHub, Ford has issued 29 recalls so far this year for 4.1 million vehicles. The automaker ended 2022 with the most recalls in the US, which involved 8.6 million vehicles. Earlier this month, the company issued two recalls for 267,000 Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
Ford is focusing on improving quality. Earlier this year, the Blue Oval touted the rigorous checks it used for the 2023 Super Duty. Production for the truck began last October and underwent a thorough review process in the early production stages as the automaker looks to reduce recall and warranty repair costs.
