Recall 19V333 affects 544 2014-2019 Ford Transit and Promaster vehicles for foldaway seats that can unlock. Repair is free at any franchised Ford dealer.
Ford is recalling 544 2014-2019 Transit and Promaster vehicles modified with Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seats because the back seat cushion can fail to stay locked when it is moved upright. In a crash or sudden stop, seat-back movement increases injury risk for the occupant, and Ford dealers will complete the free repair.
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What's wrong?
The Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seat in these 2014-2019 Transit and Promaster vehicles is designed to fold away for access, then lock back into an upright seating position. When the back seat cushion is moved out of the stowed position, the locking mechanism is supposed to hold the cushion in place for the passenger using that seat.
On the affected seats, the back frame weldment was built too narrow. That narrow frame can deform the seat-back cushion dump mechanism, which is the latch assembly that lets the cushion rotate and lock. When that mechanism malfunctions, the cushion does not stay locked under load, including during a crash or sudden stop.
A fully engaged seat mechanism makes an audible click. If you rotate the seat upright and do not hear that click, treat that as the warning sign that the mechanism is not locking correctly.
Who's affected?
Covers Transit and Promaster vans from 2014-2019, with the same seat assembly component listed for each vehicle line.
| 2016 Ford Transit | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2014 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| 2017 Ford Transit | seat assembly |
| 2015 Ford Transit | seat assembly |
| 2015 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| 2016 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| 2017 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| 2014 Ford Transit | seat assembly |
| 2018 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| 2018 Ford Transit | seat assembly |
| 2019 Ram Promaster | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 544 |
A matching year and model does not confirm inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific van is included.
What's the safety risk?
If the foldaway seat back is not locked, it can move in a crash and increase the occupant's risk of injury. Listen for the seat mechanism to click fully into place; no click is a reason to stop using that seat and arrange repair. Repair is free at any franchised Ford dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2019 Ford Transit or Promaster with Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seats is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Ford dealer to schedule the free Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seat repair that fixes the seat cushion lock problem.
- Bring the recall notice if New England has mailed one. If not, reference recall number 19V333 when you call.
- Keep rear-seat passengers out of the affected foldaway seat until the seat repair is complete.
- Call Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 with repair questions.
What happens at the repair
At the repair visit, a Ford technician or Freedman service contact repairs the Go-ES Foldaway seats so the back seat cushion locks properly when moved from the stowed position to upright. The foldaway seat repair is free under the recall. New England's reimbursement plan is on file. If you already paid out of pocket for the same foldaway seat repair before the recall notice, ask Freedman or New England how to submit your repair paperwork for reimbursement review.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 29, 2019 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 3, 2019 | Dealer notification began |
| May 3, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
| May 6, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| May 27, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 19V333?
Recall 19V333 covers 544 2014-2019 Ford Transit and Ram Promaster vehicles modified with Freedman Go-ES Foldaway seats. The back seat cushion can fail to stay locked under load during a crash or sudden stop, increasing injury risk. Repairs to the foldaway seats are free.
What should I do if my 2014-2019 Ford Transit or Ram Promaster is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 19V333. If it is, contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 to arrange the foldaway-seat repair. Reference recall number 19V333 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall repair to be completed at no cost. For recall 19V333, owners were directed to contact Freedman for free repairs to the affected Go-ES Foldaway seats.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is occupant injury in a crash. If the foldaway seat back moves when loaded during a crash or sudden stop, the person in that seat has an increased risk of injury. The repair addresses the seat locking problem.
What if I bought the vehicle used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your Transit or Promaster is included, then reference recall number 19V333 when you contact Freedman about the seat repair.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/19V333000 |
|---|---|
| Ford customer service | 1-800-443-4540 |
| NHTSA recall # | 19V333 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 19V333000 |
Source documents
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 →