Ford Recalls 1.6M Pickup Trucks; Seat Belts Can Cause Fires
DETROIT (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Under pressure from U.S. safety regulators, Ford is recalling some 1.6 million F-150 pickups in North America because the seat belts can cause fires.
The recall covers truck models Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab, model years 2015-18.
The company says it has 23 reports of smoke or fire in the U.S. and Canada, but it's not aware of any injuries. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the fires last month after getting five reports. Fires destroyed three trucks.
Ford says some seat belt pretensioners can generate excessive sparks when they tighten the belts before a crash. That can ignite gases inside a support beam and cause insulation and carpet to catch fire.
Dealers will remove insulation and install heat-resistant tape. Owners will be notified starting Sept. 24.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
