2021 Ford Ranger Seat Belt Webbing Recall (21V811)

Recall 21V811 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Ford Ranger in recall 21V811?

The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Ranger with recall 21V811?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Ranger shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the webbing, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 21V811?

Recall 21V811 covers 47,683 vehicles: 2021 Ford Ranger.

NHTSA lists 47,683 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Ranger seat belt webbing recall?

Yes. Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts.

Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Dealers will inspect the front row outboard seat belts and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C25.

When was recall 21V811 announced?

Ford Motor Company reported recall 21V811 to NHTSA on October 15, 2021. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as December 22, 2021.

This recall was filed 60 months ago. If your Ranger was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Ranger is part of recall 21V811?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V811 is open on your Ranger, it will be listed there.

Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 21V811000 is open on your Ranger, it will be listed there, along with Ford recall number 21C25. You can also ask any Ford dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.

What should Ranger owners do about recall 21V811?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V811000 applies to your Ranger.
2. Call a Ford dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the webbing happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Ranger owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 0 of them about the seat belts.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 21V811 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 115 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 0 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2021 Ford Ranger: 115 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts

Can recall 21V811 make my Ranger a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Recall 21V811000 does not automatically make your Ranger a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?

Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 21V811