NHTSA has received several reports alleging burn injuries following airbag deployment in 2021–2026 Ford Explorers, with potentially 1.2 million units affected.

Ford is currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation for more than a million vehicles whose front airbags could cause serious burns. According to the Preliminary Evaluation documents filed with the ODI, the investigation covers an estimated 1,236,155 Ford Explorer SUVs built between the 2021 and 2026 model years.

The investigation documents explain that the ODI has received eight Vehicle Owner Questionnaires and four Early Warning Reporting “Death and Injury” reports that include allegations of burn injuries caused by the deployment of the seat-mounted side airbags. In each case, the injuries were limited to the driver, the front passenger, or both; the report didn’t detail any injuries to rear passengers or fatalities of any kind.

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Unfortunately, the filing suggests that the injuries have been fairly significant. The ODI documents show that the reported burn injuries associated with the investigation were typically diagnosed as second- or third-degree burns and required medical treatment to heal properly. According to the filing, some of the VOQs report injuries to law enforcement officers whose Police Interceptors’ side airbags were deployed.

The ODI’s preliminary evaluation will focus on determining the scope, frequency, and the safety ramifications caused by the defective airbags. As it stands now, there isn’t an official recall or guarantee that NHTSA will force a recall.

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