US safety regulator opens probe following reports of burn injuries involving over 1.2M Ford SUVs

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into more than 1.2 million Ford Explorer SUVs following reports that side airbag deployments caused serious burn injuries.

The preliminary evaluation covers an estimated 1,236,155 vehicles from the 2021-2026 model years.

The agency's Office of Defects Investigation received eight vehicle owner complaints and four Early Warning Reporting death and injury reports alleging burns following side airbag deployment.

Drivers and front-seat passengers reported sustaining burns during crashes in which seat-mounted side airbags deployed. The injuries were typically described as second- or third-degree burns requiring medical treatment.

Some complaints involved law enforcement officers injured in Ford Explorer Police Interceptor vehicles.

The investigation, opened on Nov. 6, will assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences of the alleged defect.

- Waymo recall remedy under review

Separately, the NHTSA opened a recall query covering 2,895 vehicles equipped with Waymo's fifth-generation automated driving system over continued school bus safety violations.

The regulator said it identified numerous reports of Waymo vehicles passing stopped school buses with flashing red lights or extended stop arms.

Waymo filed recall 25E084 on Dec. 10, 2025 to address the issue through a software update intended to ensure that vehicles remain stationary when required.

The company reported completing the update across affected vehicles by Nov. 17, 2025. However, most incidents identified during the NHTSA's earlier investigation occurred after that date.

The new review, also opened on Nov. 6, will assess whether the recall remedy was adequate and determine why violations continued after the update.