Ford Motor Co. is telling nearly 180,000 owners across the United States that their front seats might not be as secure as they look, thanks to a loose bolt in the front-seat frame that can work its way out. If that pivot bolt dislodges, the front seat may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, raising the risk of injury. Ford says dealers will inspect and repair affected seats free of charge.
According to Reuters, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted the safety notice on Friday and listed the recall population at about 179,698 vehicles. The filing names Bronco and Ranger models among the potentially affected rides.
What regulators found
In its safety filing, NHTSA warns that “a seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash,” and classifies the problem under the category of critical seat fasteners. The recall paperwork says dealers will inspect the front-seat pivot hardware and replace the pivot links and bolts as needed at no cost to owners, according to documents filed with NHTSA.
Which vehicles are affected
Federal filings first flagged the issue in a 2025 recall campaign covering model-year 2021 to 2023 Broncos, which included about 163,256 vehicles, and a separate notice in May 2025 covered a smaller group of 2025 Bronco and Ranger units. Those model counts are summarized in filings compiled by SafeCarInfo.
What owners should do
Owners who think their vehicle might be affected can plug their 17-digit VIN into the recall search tool on Ford or call a local dealer to schedule a free inspection and any needed repairs. Anyone with broader safety concerns can also contact the NHTSA vehicle-safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
How it happened
Federal recall documents say the pivot-link supplier produced parts with out-of-spec geometric parameters that can let the pivot bolt loosen over time, a condition that surfaced during the safety review. NHTSA reports show that Ford’s remedy is to identify affected VINs and have dealers replace the suspect links and hardware under warranty, according to NHTSA.
