Ford is recalling 2-million F-150 pickup trucks in North America because of a problem with the front seat belt pretensioners.
Multiple media outlets, including Automotive News and Just Autos, have reported the seat belt pretensioners in the drivers seat and front passenger seat could generate sparks when they are used. That could ignite gas exhaust in the "lower portion of the B-pillar" lighting insulation and set carpeting on fire.
Most of the vehicles being recalled are in the U.S. Ford says 1.6 million are American vehicles and 339,884 are Canadian pickups. Another 36,780 trucks are in Mexico. They include pickup trucks with the regular cab and supercrew cabs.
Ford said there have been 17 reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. In Canada, there have been six reports.
So far, no one has been hurt as a result of the fault.
The affected models are:
2015-18 F-150s built at the Dearborn Assembly Plant between March 12, 2014, and August 23, 2018
2015-18 F-150s built at Kansas City Assembly Plant between August 20, 2014, and August 23, 2018.
The reference number for the recall is 18S27.
Owners are asked to take the vehicle back to the dealership where the insulation from the B pillar will be removed, along with remnants of wiring harness tape.
