from Consumer Reports on Safety by Consumer Reports News

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/02/recall-2005-2006-ford-f-150-air-bag-problem.html

More than one million pickup trucks made by the Ford Motor Company have been added to a February safety recall of Ford F-150s for defective air bags, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As in the initial recall, the safety issue regards faulty wiring that can chafe, short-circuit, and cause the driver's side front airbags to deploy suddenly. Back in Feburary, Ford had claimed the defect was found only in 150,000 F-150s made for the 2005 to 2006 model years. But under closer scrutiny of dataùand pressureùby the NHTSA, the recall alert now applies to 2004 model year Ford F-150s and 2006 model year Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks. Ford states that the problem is progressive, and an air bag warning lamp will illuminate for an extended period before there is a risk of deployment, according to a quote in Automotive News.

Ford will begin sending notices in May to owners affected by this expanded recall. But the company says if owners see an air bag warning light on their truck's dashboard, they should bring their pickup in to a dealer as soon as possible. Mechanics there will inspect and replace the air bag's wiring free of charge.

For more information about this recall, consumers can contact Ford Customer Relationship Center (866-436-7332) or visit the NHTSA's Safer Car website: www.SaferCar.gov.

Recall: 1.2 million Ford Pickup Trucks (Campaign #: 11V107000) [NHTSA]
Ford F-150 recall greatly expanded: safety regulators [Reuters]
Ford recalls 1.2M F-150 pickups [Detroit News]