Ford recalls 94,605 2014-2015 Escape, F-150, E-350, and Mkc vehicles for seat and seatbelt bolt defects. Repair is free at franchised Ford dealers.
Ford is recalling 94,605 2014-2015 Escape, F-150, E-350, and Mkc vehicles under recall 17V472 because improperly manufactured bolts were used on certain seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors. If one of those bolts fractures, the seat or seatbelt anchor is not properly secured in a crash, increasing injury risk; Ford dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The seat and seat belt bolts in the 2014-2015 Ford Escape, F-150, E-350, and Mkc hold critical interior parts in place. These bolts fasten certain seats, seatbacks, seat belt buckles, and seat belt anchors to the vehicle body. Their normal job is simple: stay clamped tight so the seat and restraint hardware remain fixed when force is placed on them.
On affected vehicles, some bolts were not heat-treated correctly after a supplier power outage. That process controls the metal hardness. When the bolt is too hard, it is more vulnerable to cracking from hydrogen embrittlement or stress corrosion. A cracked bolt can fracture instead of holding the seat or belt anchor as designed.
There is no warning sign before failure. The bolt can look normal until it breaks, so a visual check by the owner will not reliably show whether the vehicle has one of the improperly made bolts.
Who's affected?
Covers Escape, F-150, E-350, and Mkc nameplates across the 2014 and 2015 model years, with seat assembly and seat belt components listed for the included vehicles.
| 2014 Ford Escape | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2014 Ford Escape | seat belt |
| 2014 Ford F-150 | seat assembly |
| 2014 Ford F-150 | seat belt |
| 2014 Ford E-350 | seat assembly |
| 2014 Ford E-350 | seat belt |
| 2015 Lincoln Mkc | seat assembly |
| 2015 Lincoln Mkc | seat belt |
| 2015 Ford Escape | seat assembly |
| 2015 Ford Escape | seat belt |
| Units affected | 94,605 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 3 field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
What's the safety risk?
Improperly manufactured seat, seatback, or seatbelt anchor bolts can fracture. If that happens, the seat, seatback, or seatbelt anchor is not properly secured, increasing injury risk in a crash. There is no warning sign before failure, so schedule the recall repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Ford dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2015 Ford Escape, F-150, E-350, or Mkc is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Ford dealer to schedule the free bolt replacement for affected seats, seatbacks, seatbelt buckles, or seatbelt anchors.
- Bring the recall notice if Ford mailed one. If not, reference recall number 17V472 when you call.
- Call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 with questions and reference Ford recall 17S17.
- Avoid removing or modifying seat and seatbelt mounting hardware until the dealer repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Ford technician replaces the affected seat, seatback, seatbelt buckle, or seatbelt anchor bolts covered by recall 17V472. The recall repair is free now at a Ford dealer. Out-of-pocket repairs already paid are handled through the existing warranty, not through a separate reimbursement program, because Ford says the original warranty program provides a free repair for this concern. Ask the service desk how warranty coverage applies if you have prior repair paperwork.
| Reimbursement | Warranty coverage applies |
|---|
Timeline
| July 25, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| July 25, 2017 | Dealer notification began |
| July 25, 2017 | Dealer notification ended |
| August 28, 2017 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| August 28, 2017 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| October 25, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V472?
Recall 17V472 covers 94,605 2014-2015 Ford Escape, F-150, E-350, and Mkc vehicles with improperly manufactured seat, seatback, seatbelt buckle, or seatbelt anchor bolts. Those bolts can fracture, leaving the affected part unsecured in a crash. Ford dealers replace the bolts for free.
What should I do if my 2014-2015 Ford Escape, F-150, E-350, or Mkc is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 17V472. If it is, call a franchised Ford dealer and ask for recall 17S17 bolt replacement. The dealer repair is free, and Ford customer service is available at 1-866-436-7332.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and Ford's remedy states that dealers will replace the affected bolts free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at a franchised Ford dealer.
What is the safety risk in recall 17V472?
The risk is that an improperly manufactured bolt can fracture. If a seat, seatback, seatbelt buckle, or seatbelt anchor bolt breaks, that part can stop being properly secured, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
What if I bought this vehicle used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall eligibility follows the VIN, not the original owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2014-2015 Ford Escape, F-150, E-350, or Mkc is included, then reference recall 17S17 when you call the dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V472000 |
|---|---|
| Ford customer service | 1-866-436-7332 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V472 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V472000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →