Back in February, we told you about the recall of 150,000 Ford F-150 models due to driver-side airbags that went off on their own right after starting the vehicle. At the time, Ford said the recall was limited to 150,000 units out of the 1.3 million vehicles being investigated due to the fact that the problem only surfaced on vehicles built on the first shift at the automaker's Norfolk, Virginia plant.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced on its website that the recall has now been extended to include 1.2 million 2004-2006 model year F-150 models, along with its luxury cousin, the Lincoln Mark LT. NHTSA says it has received 238 instances of inadvertent deployment and 77 total injuries.

NHTSA indicates that the airbag issue stems from a clockspring jumper wire that could come in contact with the airbag lower horn plate. The friction between the wire and the horn plate could result in chafing, potentially shorting the circuit. And when that happens, an unsuspecting F-150 owner could receive an airbag surprise.

To fix the problem, owners of the affected vehicles will be able to head to the nearest Ford or Lincoln dealer for a free repair. Technicians will install a new clockspring jumper with a protective mesh cover. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.



More...