Seat frames with sharp edges injure 31

Phoebe Wall Howard

Detroit Free Press

Published 11:06 AM EDT Sep 13, 2019

Ford said Friday that the 2017 Ford Explorer with power seats “may have seat frames with sharp edges” that have reportedly injured passengers, prompting a new recall.

“Customers could come in contact with the sharp edges when reaching between the power front seat and center console, presenting the risk of injury,” Ford said in a statement.

Ford confirmed it is “aware of 31 reports of hand injuries attributed to this condition.”

Companies compile data tracking consumer reports of potential safety issues in order to identify trends and take preventive measures. This data is required to be reported to federal safety regulators for review.

The Dearborn-based automaker urges customers “to use caution and avoid contact with the seat frame edge until the repair is completed.”

Ford dealers have been asked to “install flocked tape to the exposed edge and tab on the inboard side of the power seat frames” as a remedy, the statement said.

This recall affects 338,332 vehicles overall, including 311,907 in the U.S. and federal territories. These vehicles were all built at the Chicago Assembly Plant between Feb. 13, 2016 and Oct. 25, 2017.

This latest action is the third recall within five weeks from Ford involving SUVs built in Chicago. While management changes have been made at the factory recently, Ford has said decisions are influenced by retirement rather than quality control issues. 

Follow Detroit Free Press reporter Phoebe Wall Howard on Twitter @phoebesaid.

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