Ford to Recall 2005-2006 F-150 Pickup Trucks to Fix Airbag Problem

Ford said it will recall about 144,000 F-150 half-ton pickup trucks from the 2005-2006 model years to fix a problem that can cause the driver-side airbag to deploy without warning.

The recall is the result of an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last year. According to NHTSA's investigation summary, the inadvertent airbag deployments are most likely caused by a sharp edge on the airbag's horn mounting plate that can chafe an airbag wire leading to an electrical short that may trigger a deployment. More than 1.56 million trucks from 2004-2006 were part of the investigation.

Ford made an interim design change to the horn mounting plate in January 2006 and redesigned it, along with the airbag module and wiring, in June 2006 for model year 2007.

There is "a relatively low risk of inadvertent airbag deployments," Ford safety spokesman Wes Sherwood told the Detroit News. "Ford is committed to safety and will continue to work cooperatively with NHTSA in addressing any further questions."

[Source: The Detroit News]