Ford Recalls Half-Million Super Duty Pickups Over Carpeting Fire Risk

Ford has issued another Super Duty pickup recall. This time the recall is over a fire risk caused by carpeting in SuperCrew models. When one of the front seat pretensioners goes deploys in a crash it is possible that enough sparks can be generated to start a fire.

The Ford Motor Co. has recalled more than 500,000 2017-2019 Ford Super Duty SuperCrew pickups to fix a potential fire-risk relating to the carpeting. According to a spokesperson for Ford, the recall affects Ford’s Super Duty lineup. The lineup includes the F250, F350, F450, and F550, among others. The SuperCrew body style features a full cab with two sets of wide-opening doors that access the front and rear. SuperCrew configurations seat either five or six depending on the seat options installed.

Super Duty Pickup Problem With Belt Pretensioner

According to a news release issued today by Ford, the problem lies with a front seatbelt pretensioner and what could happen when it deploys during a crash. On deployment, the pretensioner can generate an excessive amount of sparks, which, in turn, could ignite the carpet or carpet insulation near the B-pillar. Ford says that a fire in the B-pillar area can spread within the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. So far, Ford has indicated that it has had one report regarding this potential problem.

The recall affects 490,574 Super Duty pickups in the United States and its territories, 56,112 trucks in Canada, and 852 in Mexico. Ford built the affected pickups at the Kentucky Truck Plant from Oct. 8, 2015, to Oct. 29, 2019.

In another Ford Super Duty recall last week, the automaker recalled them to repair repair an unintended tailgate opening problem. Meanwhile, the launch of the Explorer/Aviator SUVs has been marred by vehicles that have either been either repurchased or repaired.

Super Duty Pickup Problem Solved

To fix the problem, dealers will apply foil tape to the carpet and its insulation. And, they will modify the sound deadener on the backside of the B-pillar trim panel. For more information, contact Ford Customer Service and ask about recall 19S52. The number is Ford’s specific identifier for this recall. Dealers are scheduled to begin this recall in mid-January.

Source: Ford

About the Author

Marc Stern has been an auto writer since 1971. It was a position that filled two boyhood dreams: One was that I would write, and two that I write about cars. When I took over as my newspaper’s auto editor, I began a 32-year career as an automotive columnist. There isn’t much on four wheels that I haven’t driven or reviewed. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. Today, I am the Ford F150 reporter for Torque News. I write how-to and help columns for online sites such as Fixya.com and others. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook