NHTSA Complaint #10232726 — 2003 LINCOLN LS

CLIPS HOLDING THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED, RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE SEAT BACK COMING LOOSE AND FALLING BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED DURING THE FAILURE, HOWEVER IF THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED, THE LARGE PLASTIC SEAT BACK COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY, ESPECIALLY IF THIS FAILURE OCCURRED DURING AN ACCIDENT OR IF A YOUNG CHILD WAS RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, NO PASSENGERS HAD BEEN RIDING IN THE REAR SEAT FOR OVER 6 MONTHS, SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT SOMEONE MANIPULATING THE SEAT BACK WAS THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THIS, THE SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER, UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BACK, AS THE BROKEN RETAINING CLIPS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE PLASTIC MOLDING. A DEALER SEARCH OF EXISTING TSBS AND OF FORD'S OASIS SYSTEM YIELDED NO SIMILAR REPORTS, HOWEVER A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET RESULTS IN MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF SEATS ON THE 2003 LINCOLN LS FAILING IN A SIMILAR WAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO REQUEST THAT FORD REVIEW SERVICE RECORDS TO DETERMINE IF THIS PART IS FAILING AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH RATE. *NM *TR