Key facts
- NHTSA said drivers, front-seat passengers and some law enforcement officers in Ford Explorer Police Interceptor vehicles suffered second- and third-degree burns after side airbag deployments.
- The preliminary evaluation covers more than 1.2 million Ford vehicles, with the complaints tied to certain 2021-2026 model-year Ford Explorer vehicles.
- NHTSA described side airbags as safety devices that deploy during certain crashes to protect occupants from serious injury.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on November 9 that it opened a preliminary evaluation into more than 1.2 million Ford vehicles over the accidental deployment of seat-mounted side airbags that caused serious burn injuries.
NHTSA said it had received eight complaints and four early warning reports alleging burn injuries linked to the deployments in certain 2021-2026 model-year Ford Explorer vehicles. The agency said drivers, front-seat passengers and some law enforcement officers in Ford Explorer Police Interceptor vehicles suffered second- and third-degree burns following side airbag deployments.
NHTSA described side airbags as safety devices that deploy during certain crashes to protect occupants from serious injury. A preliminary evaluation is an early stage of the agency's investigative process and does not by itself establish a defect.