Ford recalls two million trucks to address seat-belt fire concerns

Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it would recall 2 million F-150 pickup trucks in North America to address fire concerns relating to seat belts that have been linked to three serious incidents.

The second-largest U.S. automaker said it was aware of 17 reports of smoke or fire in the United States and six in Canada relating to seat-belt pretensioners, but was not aware of any accidents or injuries as a result. The mechanism of the pretensioner, which works in tandem with air bags, involves an explosive charge that locks a seat belt in place during a crash.

Some pretensioners in front seat belts could generate excessive sparks when deployed, resulting possibly in a fire, the company said. read more »