Ford Expedition Seats Problems
Owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA about seats problems on the Ford Expedition across 28 model years. The 2003 model year has the most (11). The words owners use most often: “row seat” (10% of reports).
- 100seats complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 17mention an injury
- 5related 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.
- Row seat: mentioned in 10 of 100 complaints (10%)
- Driver passenger seats: mentioned in 6 of 100 complaints (6%)
- Head rests: mentioned in 6 of 100 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do seats problems happen?
Based on 44 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 100 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 17 an injury.
Ford Expedition seats complaints by model year
| Model year | Seats complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Expedition | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2025 Expedition | 6 | 16% | — |
| 2024 Expedition | 3 | 4% | — |
| 2023 Expedition | 1 | 2% | 500 |
| 2022 Expedition | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2020 Expedition | 3 | 1% | 106,920 |
| 2019 Expedition | 6 | 1% | 4,854 |
| 2018 Expedition | 1 | 0% | 30,600 |
| 2017 Expedition | 4 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2015 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 1,501 |
| 2014 Expedition | 2 | 3% | 12,000 |
| 2013 Expedition | 2 | 2% | 96,000 |
| 2012 Expedition | 3 | 3% | 15,283 |
| 2011 Expedition | 8 | 11% | 300 |
| 2010 Expedition | 6 | 10% | 20 |
| 2009 Expedition | 3 | 11% | 29,005 |
| 2008 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 29,369 |
| 2007 Expedition | 4 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2006 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2005 Expedition | 2 | 1% | 57,000 |
| 2004 Expedition | 5 | 2% | 25,000 |
| 2003 Expedition | 11 | 2% | 60,800 |
| 2002 Expedition | 1 | 0% | 29,300 |
| 2001 Expedition | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2000 Expedition | 4 | 0% | 90,350 |
| 1998 Expedition | 8 | 1% | 94,270 |
| 1997 Expedition | 8 | 1% | 65,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The attachment bracket for the driver's side second-row seat headrest may not have been sufficiently welded to the seat frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Risk: An improperly welded headrest bracket may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began July 8, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C12.
Seats:front assembly:recliner; seats:mid/rear assembly
Model years: 2019, 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Model years: 2018
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition vehicles. The second row center seat track assemblies may be missing one or both of the J-Channel reinforcement brackets, possibly allowing the seat to move in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, a seat that moves may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row center seat for any missing J-channel reinforcement brackets, replacing the center seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. An interim owner notification was sent on December 21, 2018. A second letter will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S37
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Model years: 2018
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018 Expedition vehicles. The second row outboard seats may have excessive forward adjustment capability and/or may have an improperly installed bolt that secures the seat back to the seat base. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints", number 207, "Seating Systems", and number 210, "Seat Belt Anchorage System."
Risk: If the seat back is not adequately secured, and/or the seat occupant is improperly positioned, there can be an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the second row outboard seats for proper seat adjustment travel, replacing the seat frame assembly if necessary. Dealers will also inspect the bolts attaching the seat back to the seat base for the proper installation, correcting it as necessary. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began on January 10, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C20.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Model years: 2012
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 expedition and lincoln navigator vehicles, manufactured from november 19, 2011, through december 2, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 202, "head restraints." these vehicles may have inadequate welds on the head restraint support brackets for the second row, right-hand seat.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat head restraint may not provide the required strength, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on february 21, 2012. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I own a 2025 Ford Expedition MAX Platinum Ultimate. The second-row passenger-side seat has repeatedly failed to latch securely to the floor after being moved/folded. This problem has occurred multiple times. The vehicle has previously been taken to the Ford dealer for the problem, and repairs have…
While driving my 2019 Ford Expedition the passenger airbag deployed unexpectedly. This resulted in the seat belt not retracting or extending. There were no warnings, messages or problems prior to this occurring. Yes, safety was put at risk by the airbag deploying unexpectedly and the seat belt…
The empty passenger sea, steering wheel, center console and sun visor has aggressive shake at speeds over 35MPH. Dealer did the road force balance but that didn't fix it, it's something in drivertaina nd they are refusing to fix it. Vehicle seems unsafe to derive
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while depressing the lock panel with the numbers on the driverâs side door, the seat unintendedly moved forward, and the seat belt retracted, and the driver was squeezed in the seat. The contact turned off the vehicle and seat belt…
The metal emblem on the driver and passenger seats continuously pulls my hair. I believe it is the emblem itself (sharp lettering) and not how it is adhered to the seat. I am unable to drive the vehicle with hair down.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Expeditions have seats problems?
No. NHTSA has 100 owner complaints about seats 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 seats?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list seats. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about seats problems on the Ford Expedition?
The most frequent phrase is “row seat”, in 10 of 100 complaints, followed by “driver passenger seats” (6).
Other Ford Expedition problems
- Power Train problems (1,571)
- Electrical System problems (1,384)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (1,163)
- Engine problems (860)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (834)
- Tires problems (656)
- Suspension problems (542)
- Visibility problems (534)
See all Ford Expedition problems.