Ford Expedition Seat Belts Problems
Owners have filed 327 complaints with NHTSA about seat belts problems on the Ford Expedition across 25 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (107). The words owners use most often: “seat belt” (59% of reports).
- 327seat belts complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 32mention a crash
- 68mention an injury
- 6related recalls
- 30%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Seat belt: mentioned in 194 of 327 complaints (59%)
- Front passenger: mentioned in 33 of 327 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do seat belts problems happen?
Based on 133 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 327 complaints, 32 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 68 an injury.
Ford Expedition seat belts complaints by model year
| Model year | Seat Belts complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Expedition | 1 | 1% | 80,240 |
| 2023 Expedition | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2022 Expedition | 3 | 3% | 94,000 |
| 2021 Expedition | 4 | 2% | 85,000 |
| 2020 Expedition | 39 | 9% | 66,230 |
| 2019 Expedition | 107 | 21% | 89,500 |
| 2018 Expedition | 13 | 3% | 8,161 |
| 2017 Expedition | 6 | 2% | 18,000 |
| 2016 Expedition | 3 | 1% | 86,000 |
| 2015 Expedition | 1 | 1% | 23,000 |
| 2014 Expedition | 3 | 4% | 25,800 |
| 2013 Expedition | 2 | 2% | 48,050 |
| 2012 Expedition | 2 | 2% | 45,656 |
| 2010 Expedition | 1 | 2% | 84,500 |
| 2008 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2007 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 36,000 |
| 2006 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 71,350 |
| 2004 Expedition | 5 | 2% | 93,447 |
| 2003 Expedition | 14 | 2% | 64,162 |
| 2002 Expedition | 20 | 6% | 100,000 |
| 2001 Expedition | 36 | 6% | 90,500 |
| 2000 Expedition | 9 | 1% | 72,515 |
| 1999 Expedition | 8 | 1% | — |
| 1998 Expedition | 25 | 3% | 127,750 |
| 1997 Expedition | 15 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (6)
Seat belts:pretensioner
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
Seat belts:pretensioner
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
Seat belts:pretensioner
Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.
Risk: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
Seat belts
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The seat belt tension sensor may incorrectly classify a child occupant as an adult.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the incorrect classification would enable the passenger air bag to deploy instead of disabling it, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S54.
Seat belts
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The front passenger seatbelt buckle's Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) may malfunction and may result in the seat occupant being misclassified.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide the intended level of protection, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seatbelt buckle, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S17.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch. Ford crown victoria built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01 mercury grand marquis built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01. Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01. Lincoln navigators built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01. Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01. Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison plant from 3/13/00 - 5/25/01. Ford f-150 truck built at norfolk plant from 4/18/00 - 5/25/00; at ontario plant from 5/10/00 - 5/28/01; at kansas city plant from 9/11/99 - 5/25/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/9/01. Ford super duty f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 5/27/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/19/01. Ford excursions built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 10/2/00. Ford expeditions built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began july 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Manufacturer Recall Number26S34 NHTSA Recall Number26V344 Ford promised a remedy by 9/30/2026. There is still no remedy.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver's and passenger's side seat belts failed to unlatch. The vehicle was taken to two different dealers, where the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact received a…
Driving to pick up my son from school (in a school zone under 20 mph) while my daughter was in the back seat, we hear a loud noise sounded like a gun shot, I immediately pull over somewhere safe got out and checked the outside of my car, didnt notice anything so i opened the passenger side front…
While sitting in my car, in my driveway, I heard a loud BOOM, smoke, and a horrible âburning fireworkâ smell. I jumped out of my car crying thinking my car was about to explode- later discovered my seatbelt to be extremely tight and locked. It is a recall that has no fix. It is unsafe to drive…
While operating the vehicle, the seatbelt retractor unexpectedly misfired and deployed with explosive force directly adjacent to my left ear. As a military veteran who already manages service-connected tinnitus, the concussive soundâcomparable to a gunshotâsignificantly aggravated my condition…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Expeditions have seat belts problems?
No. NHTSA has 327 owner complaints about seat belts for the Ford Expedition. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Expedition seat belts?
Yes: 6 safety recalls list seat belts. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about seat belts problems on the Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “seat belt”, in 194 of 327 complaints, followed by “front passenger” (33).
Other Ford Expedition problems
- Power Train problems (1,573)
- Electrical System problems (1,384)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,163)
- Engine problems (861)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (834)
- Tires problems (656)
- Suspension problems (542)
- Visibility problems (534)
See all Ford Expedition problems.