The US auto safety regulator has opened two new investigations into possible defects associated with Ford vehicles.
In separate releases issued Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) was investigating complaints about a seat belt retractor, as well as complaints about loss of motive power in late model year Ford Broncos and Ford Mavericks.
ODI said it had received three complaints about the retractors in 2019-2020 model year Ford Expeditions.
“The complaints involve hearing a loud noise immediately followed by the rapid tightening of the seat belt,” the statement said. “The complaints do not allege that a collision or impact occurred that may have resulted in the activation of the seat belt pretensioner system. In addition, the seat belt remains in a locked position after activation.”
ODI says Ford has already issued a recall regarding this issue, but it did not include the Expeditions, as well as potential issues with 2018-2019 model year Lincoln Navigator vehicles.
The separate investigation into the motive force is in response to 15 communications from Ford vehicle owners about fixes for a previous recall that may not have effectively addressed the problem, according to a news release.
Last week, Ford agreed to pay the second-largest civil penalty ever issued by NHTSA to resolve allegations that the company failed to submit timely and accurate recall information.
Ford, America’s second-largest automaker, has struggled with quality control issues in recent years, something CEO Jim Farley has said the company is focused on addressing.
A Ford spokesperson said in an email that the company was working with NHTSA to support its investigations.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
