Ford Motor Co., which has issued more than twice the recalls of any other automaker this year, faces another safety issue that has prompted a preliminary federal investigation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it had opened the evaluation of more than 1.2 million Ford Motor Co. vehicles over the accidental deployment of seat-mounted side air bags, some of which caused serious burn injuries.

NHTSA said it has received eight complaints and four early warning reports alleging burn injuries linked to the deployments in certain 2021-26 model-year Ford Explorer vehicles. Of 11 potentially related accidents reported to federal safety officials, 10 caused injuries, according to federal safety officials.

NHTSA investigations do not necessarily lead to recalls.

“Safety is a top priority at Ford," Ford spokesperson Michael Albano said in a statement. "We are working with NHTSA to support its investigation.”

Side air bags are safety devices that deploy during certain crashes to protect occupants from serious injury.

The U.S. auto regulator said drivers, front-seat passengers and some law enforcement officers in Ford Explorer Police Interceptor vehicles suffered second- and third-degree burns following side air bag deployments.

The souped-up police version of Ford's Explorer is a top pick for law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Ford has struggled with recalls, last year setting a record in the United States for the number issued in a single year. The company in response has pushed to improve quality, with some positive results. Ford this year received a top mass-market automaker ranking in JD Power's Initial Quality Study.

Still, Ford has issued more than double the recalls this year of any other automaker. The automaker is under an independent federal monitor to oversee its recall processes, data analytics and compliance after NHTSA found it failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner.

Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, said Ford has been "considerably" focused on safety for roughly the past year. But he said recent changes cannot fix past quality issues.

"When you're looking at a product that has been on the market for over five years, and this investigation is going back to 2021, it's difficult to go back in time and replace air bags before there's an issue," Fiorani said. "But the fact that Ford is stepping up and looking into it is a good thing."

He also noted the relatively small number of reported accidents and injuries related to Explorer side air bags compared to the number of those vehicles on the roads.

Suppliers and automakers have focused more on reducing the potential for harmful side effects from side air bag deployments after honing front air bag technology over decades, Fiorani said. Side air bags present a challenge because space is more limited.

Still, Fiorani said the risk of secondary injuries should be weighed against air bags' life-saving benefits. Air bags deploy through a small explosion, he said, which is inherently dangerous.

"If an air bag goes off and you're burned a little but it saves your life, that's the good side of the equation," Fiorani said. "You would have been otherwise hurt much more without it."

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