Recall Alert: Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator 2018-2022 Front Seatbelt Retractor

Who’s Affected by This Recall

This recall covers approximately 419,589 vehicles across two model lines and five model years:

• 2018-2022 Ford Expedition
• 2018-2022 Lincoln Navigator

This is a significant expansion of two previous recalls on similar vehicles (Ford recall 24S06 from February 2024 and Ford recall 25S31 from March 2025), which together covered roughly 105,000 model year 2018-2020 vehicles. The new 26S34 campaign expands the affected population to include 2021 and 2022 model years and brings the total to nearly 420,000 vehicles — making it one of the larger Ford recalls of 2026.

If you own an Expedition or Navigator from any of those five model years, your vehicle may be included. To check your specific VIN, use ford.com/support/recalls or nhtsa.gov/recalls. Your VIN is on the lower corner of your driver-side windshield, on the door jamb, or on your registration.

What’s Wrong — And Why It Matters

This recall addresses the front seatbelt retractor on the driver and front passenger sides. In affected vehicles, the seatbelt may not function as intended — specifically, the retractor pretensioner may behave incorrectly, which can cause the seatbelt to lock and prevent it from retracting or extending normally.

A seatbelt that won’t retract or extend may still hold an occupant in place, but it can fail to restrain that occupant properly during a crash, which is what triggers a federal safety recall. This is the same general issue addressed by the two earlier recalls (24S06 in 2024 and 25S31 in 2025) — Ford has now expanded the affected population a third time as additional vehicles have shown the same concern.

Ford has not issued a “do not drive” advisory for this recall, so your vehicle is safe to operate normally. However, if you notice your seatbelt locking up, refusing to retract or extend smoothly, or behaving abnormally, you should reach out to us — even before the official remedy is available.

What Ford Is Doing About It

This is an advance notice recall, which means Ford has confirmed the safety issue and identified the affected vehicles, but the official parts and repair procedure are not yet finalized. According to Ford’s notice, parts and a complete remedy are expected to be available by September 30, 2026.

In the meantime, Ford is taking two important steps:

• Owners will be notified by first-class mail with an interim notice explaining the recall.
• A second notification will be sent once parts are available and dealers can schedule the repair.

Once the remedy is finalized, the repair will be performed at no charge to the owner — federal law requires it. You do not need to take any action until you receive the second notification or until you choose to schedule your appointment after parts become available.

What We’re Doing at Jay Malone Ford

At Jay Malone Motors in Hutchinson, our service team has been monitoring this recall expansion closely. Here’s how we’re handling it on our end:

• We don’t currently have any affected new vehicles in stock. Federal law and Ford’s notice prohibit demonstrating or delivering any new vehicles included in this advance notice, and we’ve confirmed our new inventory is clear.
• If you have an immediate seatbelt concern, call us. We can diagnose the issue and discuss your options — including the possibility of recall reimbursement once Ford’s remedy becomes available.
• When parts and the official remedy land (expected by September 30, 2026), we’ll be ready to schedule recall service quickly. Owners can call us anytime to be added to our internal follow-up list.
• The recall service will be completely free when the remedy launches — federal law requires it, regardless of where the vehicle was purchased or how old it is.

What You Should Do Right Now

1. Check your VIN. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is included by running your VIN at ford.com/support/recalls or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2. Watch for the interim letter. Ford will mail you an interim notice with more details on the recall and the expected remedy timing.
3. If your seatbelt is causing problems now, call us. Don’t wait for the remedy if you’re having an active issue — we can help, and Ford may reimburse the repair once the official remedy is live.
4. Schedule when parts are available. Expected by September 30, 2026. You can call us at any time to be added to our follow-up list, and we’ll reach out as soon as the remedy can be performed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my vehicle safe to drive until the remedy is available?

Yes. Ford has not issued a “do not drive” advisory for this recall. Your vehicle is safe to operate normally. That said, if your seatbelt is locking up or behaving abnormally, contact our service department right away.

When will the recall repair actually be available?

Ford’s notice indicates parts and the official remedy are expected to be available by September 30, 2026. Once available, the repair will be performed at no charge.

What if my seatbelt is malfunctioning right now and I can’t wait until September?

Call us. We can inspect and repair the seatbelt as a customer-pay repair to address the immediate concern. Once the official recall remedy becomes available, if your repair matches the recall scope, we may be able to reimburse you through Ford or Lincoln. We’ll walk you through the options when you call.

Is this the same recall as the previous Expedition/Navigator seatbelt recalls?

It’s related. Ford previously issued recall 24S06 in February 2024 (covering 2018-2020 model years built within a narrow build window) and recall 25S31 in March 2025 (expanding to additional 2018-2020 vehicles). This new recall, 26S34, expands the affected population again to include 2021 and 2022 model years and brings the total affected vehicles to approximately 419,589.

Will the recall repair be free?

Yes. Federal law requires manufacturers to repair safety recalls at no charge to the owner, regardless of where the vehicle was purchased, how old it is, or whether the warranty has expired. The only requirement is that your VIN is included in the recall campaign.

My vehicle had the previous recall repair done. Do I need this one too?

It depends on your specific VIN and what was done during the previous recall service. Some vehicles that were inspected under earlier campaigns and did not have parts replaced may still need the new remedy. The best way to know is to run your VIN at ford.com/support/recalls when the remedy launches, or call us and we’ll check your service history.

I bought my Expedition used. Am I still covered?

Yes. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the owner. If your VIN is included in the recall, you are entitled to the free repair regardless of how many previous owners the vehicle has had or whether the previous owner was notified.

What about Lincoln Navigator owners — can Jay Malone Ford service those?

Yes. As an authorized Ford service location, our team can service Lincoln Navigator recalls as well. Federal law allows any authorized dealer in the manufacturer’s network to honor recall repairs, so Navigator owners in central Minnesota are welcome.

Source: NHTSA Campaign Number 26V344 (Ford safety recall 26S34). Last verified June 4, 2026. For the most current information, see ford.com/support/recalls or nhtsa.gov/recalls.