Ford Begs: 'Our Faulty Seat Belts and Tires? No Big Deal!'
Published Date: 11/28/2025
Notice
Summary
Ford found that some 2021-2023 Ford and Lincoln vehicles didn’t fully meet tire pressure and seat belt safety rules. They asked the government to decide if these issues are minor enough to not affect safety. People have until December 29, 2025, to share their thoughts, and no money changes hands right now.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
About 1.9M Ford/Lincoln vehicles affected
Ford reported that approximately 1,876,448 model year 2021–2023 Ford and Lincoln vehicles manufactured between January 8, 2020 and May 30, 2023 are missing certain required printed statements about tire pressure monitoring (FMVSS No. 138) and seat belt maintenance (FMVSS No. 209). The affected models include F-150, Mustang Mach-E, Bronco, Edge, Expedition, F‑Super Duty (F-250 to F-600), Escape, Nautilus, Navigator, and Corsair.
Ford seeks exemption from notification and remedy
Ford petitioned NHTSA on June 29, 2023 for a decision that the noncompliances are 'inconsequential' and asked to be exempted from the statutory duties to notify owners and provide a remedy under 49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120. NHTSA notes any granted exemption would apply only to vehicles no longer controlled by Ford when Ford learned of the noncompliance.
Owners can access missing info digitally
Ford says the missing printed information is available in the vehicle's Digital Owner's Manual (DOM) on the center-console infotainment screen, online at ford.com/support and lincoln.com/support, and via the free 'Ford Pass' and 'Lincoln Way' mobile apps. Ford also provided a Supplemental Owner's Guide (SOG) in print and explains the DOM has a table of contents and search function to find TPMS and seat belt maintenance information.
Dealers still restricted after notification
NHTSA stated that even if the petition is granted, that decision does not relieve vehicle distributors and dealers of prohibitions on the sale, offer for sale, or introduction of the noncompliant vehicles into interstate commerce while those vehicles remain under dealer/distributor control after Ford notified them the noncompliances existed.
Mustang Mach‑E DOM outage and remediation
Ford reports that 26,957 MY 2022 Ford Mustang Mach‑E vehicles lost access to the DOM after an over-the-air software update in January 2023; as of May 23, 2023, 26,368 of those vehicles had the DOM restored via a subsequent OTA update, and a field service action approved June 2, 2023 addressed the remaining 589 vehicles by mailing the full owner's manual and providing restoration instructions.
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