21C18 – Passenger Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor – 2021-2022 Ford Transit & 2021 Ford Transit Connect

July 30, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V592000

Seat Belt Locking Retractor Malfunction/FMVSS 208

An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V592

Manufacturer Ford Motor Company

Components SEAT BELTS

Potential Number of Units Affected 42,493

 

Summary

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Transit and 2021 Transit Connect vehicles. The front passenger seat belt automatic locking retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection.”

 

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt assembly, and replace the assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 14, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 30, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 21C18.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

 


AFFECTED VEHICLES

VehicleModel YearAssembly PlantBuild Dates
Transit2022Kansas CityJune 2, 2021 through July 15, 2021
Transit2021Kansas CityJanuary 12, 2021 through July 8, 2021
Transit Connect2021ValenciaNovember 27, 2020 through March 15, 2021

 

REASON FOR THIS COMPLIANCE RECALL

Some of the affected vehicles may not conform to the requirements specified by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 S7.1.1.5 Occupant Crash Protection. The front passenger seatbelt retractor assembly has an automatic locking retractor (ALR) that may disengage early after the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured.

 

SERVICE ACTION

Before demonstrating or delivering any new in-stock vehicles involved in this recall, dealers are to inspect the part number, date code, test ALR function five times and replace seatbelt assembly if required. This service must be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the vehicle owner.

 

OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE

Parts-available owner letters are expected to be mailed the week of December 27, 2021. Dealers should repair any affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received a letter.

PLEASE NOTE:

Federal law requires dealers to complete this recall service before a new vehicle is delivered to the buyer or lessee. Violation of this requirement by a dealer could result in a civil penalty of up to $21,000 per vehicle. Correct all vehicles in your new vehicle inventory before delivery. 

 

SOLD VEHICLES

  • Ford has not issued instructions to stop selling/delivering or driving used vehicles under this compliance recall. Owners should contact their dealer for an appointment to have their vehicles remedied as soon as practicable. Owners can continue to safely drive their vehicles if they do not use a child safety seat in the front passenger seat.
  • Immediately contact any of your affected customers whose vehicles are not on your VIN list but are identified in OASIS. Give the customer a copy of the Owner Notification Letter (when available) and schedule a service date.
  • Correct other affected vehicles identified in OASIS which are brought to your dealership.
  • Dealers are to prioritize repairs of customer vehicles over repairs of new and used vehicle inventory.

 

STOCK VEHICLES

  • Correct all affected units in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.
  • Use OASIS to identify any affected vehicles in your used vehicle inventory.

 

DEALER-OPERATED RENTAL VEHICLES

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act law effective June 2016 prohibits a rental company from selling, renting or leasing vehicles subject to a safety or compliance recall. Please consult your legal counsel for legal advice.

 

TITLE BRANDED / SALVAGED VEHICLES

Affected title branded and salvaged vehicles are eligible for this recall.

 

OWNER REFUNDS

  • This safety recall must still be performed, even if the owner has paid for a previous repair. Claiming a refund will not close the recall on the vehicle.
  • Ford Motor Company is offering a refund for owner-paid repairs covered by this recall if the repair was performed prior to the date indicated in the reimbursement plan, which is posted with this bulletin. Owners are directed to seek reimbursement through authorized dealers or, at their option, directly through Ford Motor Company at P.O. Box 6251, Dearborn, MI 48121-6251.
  • Dealers are also pre-approved to refund owner-paid emergency repairs that were performed away from an authorized servicing dealer after the end date specified in the reimbursement plan. Non-covered repairs, or those judged by Ford to be excessive, will not be reimbursed.
  • Refunds will only be provided for the cost associated with seatbelt assembly replacement.

 

RENTAL VEHICLES

  • Rental vehicles are not approved for this program.
  • Owners can continue to safely drive their vehicles if they do not use a child safety seat in the front passenger seat.

 

PARTS REQUIREMENTS

VehiclePart NumberDescriptionOrder Quantity
2021-2022 TransitLK4Z-14611B08-ACRH Front Seat Belt Assembly1
2021-2022 TransitLK4Z-14611B08-BCRH Front Seat Belt Assembly1
2021-2022 TransitLK4Z-14611B08-DCRH Front Seat Belt Assembly1
2021-2022 TransitLK4Z-14611B08-ECRH Front Seat Belt Assembly1
2021 Transit ConnectKT1Z-17611B08-ABRH Front Seat Belt Assembly1

 


CERTAIN 2021-2022 MODEL YEAR TRANSIT AND 2021 MODEL YEAR TRANSIT CONNECT VEHICLES — FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR FUNCTION

 

SERVICE PROCEDURE

VehiclePart NumberDate Code
(Month/Day/Year)
TransitLK41-1461294-AB3JA612/01/2020 thru 01/31/2021
TransitLK41-1461294-BB3JA611/30/2020 thru 02/10/2021
TransitLK41-1461294-DB3JA611/30/2020 thru 02/22/2021
TransitLK41-1461294-EB3FY312/09/2020 thru 02/16/2021
Transit ConnectKT1B-1761294-AB3JA611/19/2020 thru 01/25/2021

NOTE: Please watch the video in its entirety prior to performing this inspection.

https://bcove.video/30CUBZg

 

1. Move the front passenger seat to the full forward track position.

2. Inspect the part number and the date code located on the front passenger seatbelt webbing identification tag. See Figure 1. Compare the part number and date code to the chart above.
Is the date code on the identification tag on or between the date codes shown on the chart?

  • YES – Proceed to Step 3.
  • NO – Part replacement is not required. This completes the recall.

NOTE: Transit Connect shown, Transit similar.

NOTE: Date code format is (Day/Month/Year)

 

3.Buckle the passenger seatbelt. See Figure 2.

 

4.Slowly pull out the full length of the seatbelt from the retractor. See Figure 3.

 

5.Slowly allow the seatbelt to rewind back into the the retractor. An audible ratcheting sound will be heard. See Figure 4.

 

6. Pull on the seatbelt, the lock should actuate and not allow the seatbelt to move. See Figure 5.

 

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 a total of five (5) times, then proceed to Step 8.

8. Did the seatbelt fail to lock on any of the five attempts?

  • YES – Transit Connect vehicles, Replace the front passenger seatbelt retractor. Please follow the Workshop Manual (WSM) procedures in Section 501-20A. This completes the recall.

    Transit vehicles, Proceed to Step 9 for front passenger seatbelt retractor replacement procedure.
  • NO – Part replacement is not required. This completes the recall.

9. Depower the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). Please follow the WSM procedures in
Section 501-05.

10. Release the clips, slide up and remove the middle B-pillar trim panel. See Figure 6.

 

NOTE: The front passenger seat removal is not needed to position aside the lower B-pillar trim panel.

NOTE: Ensure that all of the retaining clips have been disengaged prior to positioning aside the lower B-pillar to prevent damage.

11. Release the clips and position aside the lower B-pillar trim panel. See Figure 7.

 

12. A lower B-pillar trim panel with a broken guide can be reused and does not require replacement.
See Figure 8.

 

13. Replace the front passenger seatbelt retractor. Please follow the WSM procedures in Section 501-20A. This completes the recall.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Federal law prohibits selling motor vehicle parts or components that are under safety, compliance, or emissions recall. Unless a part is requested to be returned to Ford, all parts replaced under this FSA must be scrapped in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal environmental protection and hazardous material regulations. Refer to the Parts Retention, Return, & Scrapping section of the FSA dealer bulletin for further information.

 


Date of submission:  7/30/2021

FSA #: 21C18

Certain 2021 and 2022 model year Ford Transit and 2021 Ford Transit Connect Vehicles

Passenger Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor Function

 

Chronology of Defect / Noncompliance Determination:

 

On June 10, 2021, Autoliv informed Ford of a concern on certain seat belt assemblies with ALRs that may not function correctly.

 

Autoliv’s investigation determined that certain seat belt assemblies manufactured by Autoliv between October 26, 2020, and January 27, 2021, have an ALR that may deactivate early.  An Autoliv sub-supplier (ITW Automotive) supplied subcomponents that were dimensionally out of tolerance, which may prevent the ALR from functioning as intended. Autoliv determined that these seat belt assemblies do not comply with FMVSS 208 S7.1.1.5, which requires each designated seating position, except the driver’s position, to have “a seat belt assembly whose lap belt portion is lockable so that the seat belt assembly can be used to tightly secure a child restraint system.”

 

Autoliv communicated to Ford that they planned on submitting a Part 573 to the NHTSA for a technical non-compliance based upon information above.

 

On June 15, 2021, Ford’s Critical Concerns Review Group opened an investigation based upon information received from Autoliv.

 

June-July 2021 – Ford investigated the scope of vehicles that may have been produced with suspect seat belt assemblies. It was determined that 2021 Transit Connect vehicles built between November 27, 2020-March 15, 2021, and 2021/2022 Transit vehicles built between January 12, 2021-July 12, 2021, may contain the suspect assemblies.  Suspect seat belt assemblies at Ford assembly plants that were not yet assembled in vehicles were quarantined and scrapped.  Vehicles with suspect assemblies at Ford Assembly plants were put on hold and retrofitted with non-suspect assemblies. After thorough analysis of part lot traceability and plant records, it was determined that a population of vehicles were shipped with the suspect assemblies.

 

Ford assessed the potential performance effect of the suspect seat belt assemblies in affected Ford vehicles.

 

On July 26, 2021, Ford’s Field Review Committee reviewed the concern and approved a field action.

 

Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition.

 


 


3 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
FORDTRANSIT2021-2022
FORDTRANSIT CONNECT2021

 


9 Associated Documents

Miscellaneous Document – Chronology – Certain 2021 and 2022 model year Ford Transit and 2021 Ford Transit Connect Vehicles Passenger Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor Function

RMISC-21V592-3124.pdf 12.709KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V592-8035.pdf 645.215KB

 


Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V592-7180.PDF 215.686KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Dealer Bulletin re NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD Compliance Recall 21C18 Supplement #1 Certain 2021-2022 Model Year Transit and 2021 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles Front Passenger Seatbelt Automatic Locking Retractor Function

RCMN-21V592-8833.pdf 2389.639KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Dealer Bulletin re NEW VEHICLE DEMONSTRATION / DELIVERY HOLD Compliance Recall 21C18 Certain 2021-2022 Model Year Transit and 2021 Model Year Transit Connect Vehicles Front Passenger Seatbelt Automatic Locking Retractor Function

RCMN-21V592-9967.pdf 1651.139KB

 


ISSUED Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-21V592-3334.pdf 184.849KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21V592-0079.pdf 52.982KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2021-4

RCLQRT-21V592-5836.PDF 211.148KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2022-1

RCLQRT-21V592-3924.PDF 211.254KB

 


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