Ford Motor Company announced it’s recalling 179,698 Broncos and Rangers due to loose bolts in the front seats that could potentially lead to them detaching from the seat frame in the event of a crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported the recall on May 1 via its X account. According to the report, the recall affects 117,443 Ford Broncos and 62,255 Ford Rangers model years 2024 to 2026.
Vehicles in the recall population have seat frame height adjustment pivot bolts that could work themselves loose and eventually fall out. If that happens, the NHTSA said, occupants are at increased risk of injury during a crash since the seats could dislodge from the seat frames.
The vehicles were assembled at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, between November 2024 and October 2025. The adjustable front seats were provided by Tier-2 supplier Magna Seating of Canada, where the problem appears to have started when the pivot bolts were checked for torque specifications at the wrong time in the manufacturing process.
“The seat structure assembly supplier initiated a process to check the torque of the front seat frame height adjustment pivot bolts,” the NHTSA recall report states. “This action inadvertently disrupted the curing of the adhesive patch on the threaded fastener, which can allow a pivot bolt to loosen over time and eventually dislodge.”
Bronco and Ranger owners who have adjustable height front seats may notice squeaking or rattling noises, or the seats themselves may appear loose, the NHTSA stated.
As of April 10, Ford said it had received 60 warranty claims and one field report related to the issue, with no injuries or accidents reported. The current recall is an extension of a previous recall involving 163,256 Broncos made between 2020 and 2022 that also had front seat pivot bolts that could work themselves loose.
Ford said Bronco and Ranger owners with vehicles in the recall population can take their automobiles to a Ford or Lincoln dealership to have the front seats removed so technicians can inspect the seat cushion height adjustment pivot bolts and ensure they are set to proper technical specifications. Ford will replace the height-adjust link and pivot bolts as necessary at no cost to owners.
Ford’s internal number for the most current recall is 26S30.