Yes, the title of this article is just as it seems. Ford has decided to recall the 2021 to 2023 Broncos, about 175,000 of them, due to a problem that could make the seatbelt difficult to buckle. This seat problem has caused over 175,000 Broncos with five-door body styles to be recalled as proceeding with using them will not be safe.
The problematic seatbelts of this vehicle have been causing problems and headaches for Ford. This is because if the passengers cannot access them, then they will not be able to wear them. And this reduces safety drastically as it increases their chances of getting injured in cases of a collision with another vehicle.
Ford stated that the latch plate has a stowed position, which is determined by the webbing sewn loop of the seatbelt, is in a position that does not allow for enough space between the interior trim and seat back to allow the test block easy access to the latch plate. Then, Ford was contacted in May by the government concerning the 2023 Bronco five-door vehicle with a front seat belt latch problem.
These problems have surely caused an uproar amongst Bronco fans and users due to the safety threat it possesses. Luckily, this article covers all you need to know about the Ford seatbelt issue recall so keep reading for more information.
More Information
According to the NHTSA’s recall report – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – it is stated that the customer or Bronco driver may experience discouragement or dissatisfaction if they cannot use the seatbelt latch in its stowed position easily. Fortunately, there are no records or cases of any accidents or injuries caused by this seatbelt issue.
The recalled Bronco vehicles are only the five-door versions and the problem was discovered after the NHTSA did a routine examination of the vehicle. But of course, this is not the first time the Ford Bronco is being recalled due to some issues that needed to be dealt with. Earlier this year, the Bronco was among the list of some vehicles that were recalled due to issues with lug nuts. These issues posed a risk for the wheels of certain models falling off while driving.
Also in the past years, 2022 to be exact, some of the 2022 Ford Bronco models were recalled due to a malfunctioning child safety lock. Overall, the Ford Bronco has been recalled about 24 times dues to different issues – some were substantial while some were not. For example, in January, there were about 383,000 Bronco vehicles that were recalled due to rear view camera problems.
Also in February, another 98,000 Bronco vehicles were recalled due to an issue with the passenger-side air bag. Most of all, 1.3 million Bronco vehicles were recalled in March after the NHTSA did an examination and found out there was a brake fluid leak. This leak increased the risk of a car crash as it could prolong the distance needed to stop the vehicle.
Back to the current seatbelt issue recall, this problem does not only cause dissatisfaction for everyone who needs to use a seatbelt, but it also violates federal safety standards. But fortunately, as stated above, Ford has not recorded any field reports, crashes, warranties and injuries caused by the seatbelt latch plates as of May 10.
Every Bronco driver that is directly affected by this problem is expected to receive a mail from Ford and of course, they will not be charged to fix the seatbelt issue. The recall letters will be mailed by June 30 and Ford dealers will fix the problem by adding a sliding clip latch stop to the front passenger and driver seatbelts. Once the issue is fixed, occupants will have no choice but to wear their seatbelts during drives, thereby reducing the risk of sustaining injuries during a crash.
Responses According to a Bronco Forum Thread
It was expected that Bronco owners would have had unfavourable responses regarding the seatbelt issue recall and they did not disappoint when it came to that. After going through a Bronco forum thread which explained the whole situation and the solution being used to fix the problem, Bronco owners had a lot to say about this new development.
Some said that the seatbelt recall issue seemed less of an actual mechanical failure and more of a situation whereby the seatbelt was simply hard to put on. Another Bronco driver did not agree with the fact that a recall should have been called over a seatbelt issue. He stated that he had also experienced difficulty putting on his seatbelt as it usually got stuck between the seat and B-pillar.
But, it never stopped him from choosing to wear his seatbelt every time he drove his Bronco, even though the seatbelt was a pain to grab most times. After reading through the whole forum, we could conclude that Bronco owners were on the same page as they did not see why a recall should be called over an issue so minute.
According to some others on a forum, a person choosing to not wear their seatbelt due to it being difficult to grab and put on is a lazy and not so smart decision. Especially considering the fact that they will be well aware of the consequences of not putting on a seatbelt during a drove.
After scrolling down to the bottom of the forum, we came across a screenshot of one of the messages a Bronco driver received which told him to stop driving his vehicle immediately due to the recall. He of course, was not pleased with this new development as he felt the issue was too minute to call a recall over.
Conclusion
Written above is all the necessary information you need to know about the seatbelt issue recall for about 175,000 Bronco vehicles. If your vehicle falls under this list, you will be instructed to stop using it immediately until it is fixed and ready for use once again. But, which category of people do you fall under? Those who believe this recall is necessary or those who believe it is unnecessary?
