Ford recalls 2 million F-150 trucks due to fire risk

Ford announced Thursday it is recalling roughly 2 million F-150 pickups, after more than 20 people in the United States and Canada have reported smoke or fire coming from the seat belts.

The company said the recall affects some Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab trucks, from model years 2015-18, sold in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Ford conducted an investigation and found that front seat belt pretensioners "can generate excessive sparks when they deploy," which could start a fire in the vehicle's carpet or insulation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened its own preliminary investigation last month after receiving five complaints, NPR reports, and found that "two fires self-extinguished, while the other three vehicles were totally destroyed by the fire." Ford told U.S. securities regulators in a filing on Thursday that the recall will cost about $140 million, The Associated Press reports.

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