# NHTSA recall 20V497000

A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.

- Published by: NHTSA \(United States\)
- Campaign number: 20V497000
- Manufacturer's number: 20S48
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
- Reported: 2020\-08\-21
- Owners notified: 2020\-09\-10
- Component: AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS; SEATS; AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
- Units potentially affected: 488
- Part numbers: L1MA\-608A14/5\-A

## What is wrong

Ford Motor Company \(Ford\) is recalling certain 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator vehicles.  The side air bag and/or seat back module attachments may not have been properly tightened in the front seat backs.


## What can happen

If the side air bag or seat back fasteners were not properly tightened, the side air bag deployment could be affected, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.


## The remedy

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove front seat back panels from one or both front seats \(VIN\-specific\) and verify that the fasteners have been properly tightened, free of charge.  The recall began September 10, 2020.  Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1\-866\-436\-7332.  Ford's number for this recall is 20S48.


## Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1\-888\-327\-4236 \(TTY 1\-800\-424\-9153\), or go to www.safercar.gov.


## Remedy progress the manufacturer reported

- Report: Annual report 3, for 2024 quarter 3 to 2025 quarter 2
- Filed with NHTSA: 2025\-07\-29
- Vehicles in the campaign: 488
- Reported remedied: 466 \(95%\)
- Reported unreachable: 1
- Reported removed: 0

These are the manufacturer's totals for the whole campaign at the end of 2025 quarter 2, as filed with NHTSA. They do not say whether one vehicle has been remedied: check the VIN with the official lookups. The reports are from data as of 2026\-10\-19.

## Vehicles this campaign lists

- [2020 FORD EXPLORER](/makes/ford/explorer/2020/recalls.md)
- [2020 LINCOLN AVIATOR](/makes/lincoln/aviator/2020/recalls.md)

## Bulletins for the same vehicles and component

A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.

- [SSM 55226](/bulletins/11038439.md), 2026-10-12, Service bulletin
- [SSM 55100](/bulletins/11036530.md), 2026-09-01, Service bulletin
- [SSM 52776](/bulletins/11006458.md), 2024-08-16, Service bulletin
- [SSM 51720](/bulletins/10237972.md), 2023-06-22, Service bulletin
- [SSM 50868](/bulletins/10214496.md), 2022-06-29, Service bulletin
- [SSM 50817](/bulletins/10212961.md), 2022-06-01, Service bulletin
- [TSB 22\-2190](/bulletins/10211911.md), 2022-05-16, Service bulletin
- [TSB 22\-2100](/bulletins/10209207.md), 2022-03-22, Service bulletin
- [SSM 50502](/bulletins/10208146.md), 2022-02-23, Service bulletin
- [TSB 21\-2297](/bulletins/10201624.md), 2021-09-30, Service bulletin

## Check a VIN

- [NHTSA recall lookup by VIN, United States](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
- [Transport Canada recall search, Canada](https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/VRDB-BDRV/search-recherche/menu.aspx?lang=eng)

JSON: [/v1/recalls/nhtsa/20V497000](/v1/recalls/nhtsa/20V497000)

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