NHTSA Reviews Airbag Burn Reports in 1.2 Million Explorers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary evaluation of seat-mounted side airbags in an estimated 1,236,155 Ford Explorers from model years 2021 through 2026, following reports of burn injuries to front-seat occupants. The agency is examining whether the airbags present a safety defect; no recall has been announced.

NHTSA’s filing records 11 incidents. Ten involved reported second- or third-degree burns that required medical treatment, according to the agency’s review. The incidents were reported after the front-row side airbags deployed in crashes. The filing describes injuries to drivers or front passengers, including some law-enforcement officers riding in Explorer Police Interceptors.

The agency’s records include eight Vehicle Owner Questionnaires and four Early Warning Reporting death-and-injury reports that included allegations of burn injuries. Those reports are the basis for the preliminary evaluation, not a completed finding that the airbags are defective or that their deployment caused each injury.

The review is focused on the seat-mounted side airbags in the front row. NHTSA’s filing says it has no indication that the reported issue...