Seat Belt Problems of Ford Expedition - part 2

I heard a load pop noise and then smelled almost a burnt type smell. The next day my driver side seatbelt is completely locked. I’ve tried all my Ford dealership close to me and I’ve called multiple customer service no one is willing to help me.

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 (seat belts); however, the part to complete the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the seat belt warning light illuminated, and an abnormal loud sound emanated from the vehicle. The contact then noticed that the front passenger-side seat belt pretensioner had exploded without impact, releasing smoke inside the vehicle. Several dealers were contacted, but the dealers informed the contact that the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that parts would not be available until September. The failure mileage was unavailable.

The airbag warning light illuminated on my 2019 Ford Expedition. My Ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle and confirmed that the condition is related to an active Ford safety recall. The dealer also confirmed that the defect disables the entire supplemental restraint system (srs), meaning the airbags will not deploy in the event of a collision. I was informed that the recall replacement part will not be available until approximately December 2026 and that Ford will not authorize an interim repair or replacement using available parts. As a result, I am expected to continue driving a vehicle with a disabled airbag system for several months despite the known safety defect. The dealer advised that if I choose to have the vehicle diagnosed or repaired before the recall remedy becomes available, I must pay the costs myself and may only be eligible for reimbursement if Ford later authorizes it. This defect significantly increases the risk of serious injury or death because the airbags will not deploy in a crash. I am filing this complaint because a manufacturer should not leave owners without a functioning airbag system for months while waiting for recall parts.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while unbuckling the passenger’s side seat belt, the assembly deployed forcefully and struck the contact in the stomach. Following the retraction, white smoke was coming from the top of the seat belt assembly by the b-pillar. The contact experienced abdominal pain for several days but did not seek medical attention. An independent body shop inspected the vehicle and provided a repair estimate. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 24v099000 (seat belts); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer and the manufacturer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle must be repaired by an authorized Ford dealer to qualify for a reimbursement. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

As I was driving down the road, my passenger seatbelt popped and exploded, filling my car with smoke. My son yelled fire although I didn’t see a flame. My passenger seatbelt is no longer functioning. Leaving me with one less seat in my car. Ford refuses to fix or give a loaner.

On xxx, while driving my 2019 Ford Expedition (VIN: [xxx]) on the highway, the front passenger seatbelt retractor pretensioner spontaneously deployed with a loud explosion and smoke. There was no accident, no impact, and no erratic driving. The seatbelt is now completely locked and unusable, and the entire srs/airbag system is disabled with a hard fault light on the dash. My vehicle is covered under the newly expanded safety recall 26s34 / NHTSA campaign 26v344. I immediately visited an authorized Ford dealership (covert Ford) seeking an interim repair or a safe loaner vehicle. The dealer refused to help, stated that the parts are unavailable, and handed me an internal printout stating that the fsa program is paused (recall 24s06 supplement #1). Ford and the dealership are forcing me to drive an unsafe vehicle with a compromised restraint system and disabled airbags, putting my family at extreme risk because they do not have a remedy or interim solution available. I am requesting immediate federal intervention to hold Ford accountable and compel them to provide a safe rental/loaner vehicle until the final recall remedy parts are available. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 26v344000 (seat belts) and 26v368000 (structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 (seat belts), 26v368000 (structure), and 26v402000 (power train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the chrome around the center console had started to peel. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Took my car in for the seat belt recall and an oil change and the dealership said the recall has been paused. They are still looking into it for me but, this recall should not be paused. It is a real issue. Real people are having. My seat belt never retracts all the way back into place. I have to manually tighten it when I put it on and it randomly locks up while I’m driving even if brakes were not hit or it wasn’t yanked on. I worry in the event of an accident it wouldn’t do the job that’s needed to protect me.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Expedition 🔎.

The vehicle has experienced repeated critical transmission failures and currently has four active federal safety recalls with no available remedy. The transmission has failed four separate times, requiring four transmission assemblies within approximately 68,795 miles. The latest failure produced dtc p07f7 (gear 10 incorrect ratio) and was confirmed by the Ford dealer and an independent inspector as an internal transmission failure. Symptoms included harsh engagement, delayed shifting, hesitation, slipping, and repeated powertrain malfunction messages. The vehicle was out of service for 26 consecutive days during the most recent repair. A NHTSA VIN lookup shows four active unrepaired recalls: a transmission rollaway hazard affecting the parking system (26s48), two seatbelt pretensioner recalls involving inadvertent deployment or failure to retract (25s31 and 26s34), and a chrome trim recall involving sharp edges (26s38). All four recalls currently have no remedy available, with estimated repair dates extending into late 2026 and 2027. These defects affect critical safety systems including the power train, seat belts, and parking system. The rollaway hazard recall indicates the vehicle may move unexpectedly even when shifted into park, creating a serious risk of injury or collision. The seatbelt pretensioner recalls involve components that may deploy without warning or fail to retract, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. The chrome trim recall involves sharp edges that may injure occupants. Combined with repeated transmission failures, these issues create multiple simultaneous safety risks. The problems have been confirmed by the Ford dealer and an independent inspector. Warning symptoms occurred before each failure, including harsh shifting, slipping, hesitation, and powertrain alerts. The combination of unresolved federal safety recalls and repeated transmission failures makes the vehicle unsafe to operate.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 26v344000 (seat belt), 26v368000 (structure), and 26v402000 (power train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt had deployed. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 135,772.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 26v344000 (seat belts), 26v368000 (structure), and 26v402000 (power train); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the parts to be available. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway and shifting into park(p), the parking brake engaged independently, causing the vehicle to jerk into park. The failure was intermittent. The following morning, the gear shifter shifted hard into reverse(r) while attempting to reverse out of the driveway. While driving at lower speeds under 50 mph and coasting forward, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact attempted to continue driving but the vehicle slightly jolted forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that there were metal shavings inside the transmission. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while slowing down and pulling into the driveway at 25 mph, the passenger’s side air bag suddenly deployed without warning or impact. The seat belt struck the contact’s wife on the right arm and wrist, and she sustained bruises; however, medical attention was not provided. The local dealer was contacted and informed about NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 (seat belts) and 24v099000 (seat belts). A loaner vehicle was initially provided, but the dealer informed the contact that the loaner was his responsibility. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to parts being on back order. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a 2019 Ford Expedition seatbelt-related safety recall (25v197). The defect involves seatbelts that are unsafe & require replacement. Ford has acknowledged the defect but despite my numerous requests for assistance, has not provided any repair timeline, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe condition for an indefinite period. Seatbelts are a critical safety component. The defect prevents my seatbelts from functioning properly, creating risk of injury or death in the event of a crash. On 5/26 at 5:30 pm our passenger side seatbelt suddenly deployed while driving. At first my significant other 88 year old female thought she'd been shot due to the loud bang & odor of gun powder when her seatbelt snapped violently, impacting her upper chest near the throat. Furthermore, the recall applies to the front driver’s side seatbelt as well. As the vehicle cannot be safely operated, I've been forced to park it until repairs are available. Manufacturer response: Ford has stated that no parts or remedy timeframe is available. They are offering rental reimbursement, but the reimbursement rate is far below the actual cost of a rental vehicle, making it financially impossible to maintain safe transportation while waiting for Ford to provide a remedy. Impact: I'm without a safe vehicle due to a known safety defect, & Ford’s inadequate remedy/reimbursement leaves me without reasonable transportation. So I've been forced to secure a comparable rental vehicle. After searching for the lowest possible rates, beginning 7/24 I'm renting at a cost of $49. 60/day for 30 days at a time. Requested action: I request that NHTSA investigate Ford’s failure to provide a timely remedy for this safety recall & evaluate whether Ford’s rental reimbursement program complies with federal safety recall obligations. I also request that NHTSA require Ford to provide immediate remedy, transportation assistance, or full reimbursement for until repairs are completed.

He contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 35mph, occupied with his wife in the vehicle, the contact heard a loud bullet noise and his wife thought she has gotten injured from a weapon. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and he noticed the passenger seat belt had retracted independently the exposed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed the recall was paused and they were nothing they could do at this time. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 ( seat betls) the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate mileage was 73,000.  .

While backing up the vehicle, the front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioner suffered an inadvertent, spontaneous pyrotechnic deployment. There was a loud pop resembling a firecracker, immediately followed by smoke in the cabin and the odor of gunpowder. The force of the explosive deployment dislodged the interior b-pillar trim panels. The passenger front seatbelt has been locked into place. Following this, the dashboard displayed a check engine light and a battery charging system warning light, indicating the electrical system was damaged. The vehicle is rendered undriveable due to the disabled charging system and the compromised passenger seat belt. There were absolutely know warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms prior to the failure. At this time, the incident has not yet been physically inspected, as corporate customer service lines indicated a remedy hold on the active safety recall (recall 24s06).

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. While entering the vehicle, the contact became aware that the front passenger’s side seat belt was locked but was able to be retracted. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 (seat belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition max. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v099000 (seat belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's seat belt retractor pretensioner unexpectedly deployed while the contact's minor son was seated in the front passenger seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not inspected. The contact was informed of an inspection fee and was informed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v197000 (seat belts). However, the parts required to complete the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that both front seat belt retractors had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the original seat belt retractors would be reinstalled and would not be replaced due to the manufacturer advising that the recall remedy is currently on hold. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer has exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide a remedy for the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v099000 (seat belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer sent a mobile mechanic to place of employment to inspect the vehicle and the contact was informed that the seat belts were in proper working order. Recently while attempting to park the vehicle, there was a loud booming sound coming from the vehicle. The contact discovered that the front passenger's side seat belt retractor pretensioner had unexpectedly deployed. The contact stated that 30 minutes after the failure, there was an abnormal burning sulfur odor coming from the vehicle. The contact called the dealer, and a mobile mechanic arrived to inspect the vehicle. The mechanic advised the contact to drive the vehicle to the dealer for additional inspection. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained. The contact was later informed that a second recall, NHTSA campaign number: 26v344000 (seat belts), was added to the VIN and that parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Complaint: while driving at normal road speed with no collision or impact, I experienced a sudden loud “pop” from the driver-side seatbelt area. Immediately after, I noticed a burning smell coming from the same location. I initially believed I had a tire blowout and pulled over to inspect the vehicle. When I attempted to unbuckle and then re-extend the seatbelt, I found that the seatbelt was locked and would not retract or extend normally. The restraint system is now inoperable. This incident appears to be an inadvertent deployment of the seatbelt pretensioner without a crash event, resulting in a restraint system malfunction. The failure occurred during normal driving conditions and without any external trigger. This creates a serious safety risk because: * the seatbelt is no longer functional and cannot properly restrain the occupant * the unintended deployment could startle the driver and lead to loss of vehicle control * the presence of a burning smell raises concern for thermal or electrical hazard within the restraint system I am aware of similar complaints involving unintended seatbelt pretensioner deployment in Ford Expedition vehicles of similar model years. This incident should be investigated as a potential defect affecting occupant restraint systems. I’ve contacted Ford with no help to resolve the issue injury: no crash: no fire: no (burning odor present, no visible flames) speed at time of incident: 35 mileage at time of incident: 170xxx the vehicle’s seatbelt system remains in a failed/locked condition and requires repair.

I was in a head on collision and my airbags did not deploy. Also when I looked at my seat belt after the crash it was fully extended out and did not retract.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford Expedition 🔎.

I would like to know when parts will be available to fix my recall please let me know thank you [xxx] or email [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2022 Ford Expedition 🔎.

We recently purchased a certified pre-owned 2020 Ford Expedition max limited with approximately 70,000 miles. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has experienced several issues, particularly with the transmission. Before the transmission was replaced, the dealer attempted to repair it twice but was unable to resolve the problem. After the replacement transmission was installed, the same symptoms returned within one to two weeks, including harsh shifting, shuddering, and harsh engagement when shifting into reverse and park. In addition, the front seat belts and the captain’s chair seat belts have locked up multiple times. I also received a recall notice for the replacement transmission that was installed about a month ago, with an estimated repair timeframe of the second quarter of 2027. There is currently no repair available for the seat belt issue either. There have been no warning lights or messages displayed for any of these problems. I am concerned that these ongoing issues put both my safety and my child’s safety and the public at risk while operating or riding in this vehicle.

Had a passenger in my vehicle and the seatbelt would open/work. I took my vehicle to confidence Ford in norman,ok and was told the second row passenger seat lower retractor assembly needs to be replaced and it was not covered by the recall/warranty.

While I the vehicle was on, the seat belt malfunctioned. The issue appears to be the same one described in the recall. During the incident, the belt tightened / locked unexpectedly and caused significant pressure to my chest. Since then I’ve been experiencing chest pain. The air bag light in the car is now on.

While driving down the highway I suddenly heard a loud bang and what looked like smoke came out from the area by the front passenger seatbelt. The seatbelt had suddenly retracted fully and locked. Thankfully the seat was unoccupied at the time, so nobody was injured by this. When calling the local Ford dealership we were told we needed to bring vehicle in for inspection before parts could be ordered. When we called back to schedule the inspection we were told the recall was paused so we needed to wait to even have the inspection. After contacting Ford corporate we were finally able to bring in for inspection 06/01/2026 to confirm what we already knew about the broken seatbelt retractor. The dealership relayed this info to Ford, and Ford told them not to fix it at this time. When we called the dealership 06/08 they relayed that info to us. We then requested that Ford provide us a loaner vehicle. The dealership called us back 06/09 to let us know that Ford would not be providing a loaner vehicle. Our front passenger seat is occupied about 95% of the time, and that seatbelt is completely unusable. We have not been given any kind of timeline for when it can be repaired, and have no other option but to drive it the way it is. It is illegal and we are forced to put the life of one of our family members at risk because we do not have any extra seats or the money to buy yet another vehicle or pay for a rental as we are still paying for this vehicle that we bought less than a year ago.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front driver’s side seat belt failed to latch as intended. The failure was intermittent. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the front driver's side seat belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty or recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while depressing the lock panel with the numbers on the driver’s 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 to returned to the original position. The contact stated that coolant was added to the coolant reservoir; however, the vehicle was leaking coolant. The contact was unsure if the cap was positioned correctly. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 26v344000 (seat belts) and 26v368000 (structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and remained for five days. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the seat needed to be adjusted. The dealer informed the contact that the coolant reservoir tank needed to be inspected. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 106,920.

Our vehicle cannot shift into gear. This results in it jolting, and almost stopping while we are driving. The is a huge safety issue on roads and especially highways. The check engine light is on. We have taken it multiple times to mechanics and have been told this is a transmission issue. We received a transmission safety recall notice a few months back and were hopeful that Ford would fix the issue. However, we were disappointed to hear that the recalled parts aren't even made and will not be available until late 2027. This car has 3 recalls on it and Ford has not been able to fix a single one of them.

The seatbelt strap malfunctioned ( locked) and and I was unable to loosen the straps . . Resulting in having to cut the strap to get my child out.

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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the contact heard a loud bang noise coming from the left driver's side, and afterwards her seat belt retracted independently, causing the contact to have bruising to her left collarbone. There was an unknown odor present during the failure. The contact stated that the seat belt performed as if the vehicle were involved in an impact; however, there was no impact. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The approximate mileage was 93,672.

I have a recall for my seatbelt that my local Ford dealership still has been completed. I've been waiting for months and they tell me the parts aren't available yet. I researched these parts online and they show that they are indeed available for my 2019 Ford Expedition limited max. I'm leaving for a 4,000 mile vacation on 2/19/2026 and would like this recall taken care of before I leave [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and with the engine idling, the front passenger side seat belt pretensioner erroneously deployed, causing the passenger to be forcefully retracted into the seat. During the incident, an explosion had occurred, and smoke filled the cabin of the vehicle. The contact sustained an injured neck during the seat belt deployment. No medical treatment was required. After the incident, the air bag warning light had remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not determined. The contact indicated that the failure had previously occurred on the front driver's side seat belt, also. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 25v197000(seat belts). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 135,000.

I was driving and the seatbelt exploded. Started smelling like it was burning super loud explosion it’s a good thing I didn't crash and hit somebody . I’ve never had anything like that in my life happen before.