FaultScore

1997 Ford Expedition seat belt problems

15 of the 1,065 complaints about the 1997 Ford Expedition are about the seat belts — 1% of everything reported for this model year.

F

15

Complaints

4

Crashes

0

Fires

5

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Retractor 4 26.7%
Seat Belts 3 20.0%
Anchorage 3 20.0%
Webbing 3 20.0%
Rear/Other 2 13.3%

Seat Belts across every Ford Expedition year

1997 15 6.1%
1998 25 10.2%
2001 39 15.9%
2002 20 8.1%
2003 15 6.1%
2018 12 4.9%
2019 91 37.0%
2020 29 11.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

SAN Antonio, TX

SEAT BELTS

I HAVE A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS FOR THE MIDDLE SEAT WILL NOT EXTEND. THEY ARE LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. FROM REVIEWING THIS ON THE INTERNET IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE EVER HAD THAT HAD SEAT BELT PROBLEMS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE THESE AS IT MAKES IT SO YOU CAN'T BUCKLE ANYONE INTO THE MIDDLE SEAT. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=1997, MAKE=EXPEDITION, MODEL=FORD ).

NHTSA complaint #10503425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bryan, TX

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

THE SEATBELT HOLDING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN PLACE HAS DISCONNECTED WITHOUT IT BEING INTENTIONALLY RELEASED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS MAY BE OCCURING BECAUSE OF THE PROLONGED SIDE-WAYS TENSION ON THE SEAT BELT RECEPTOR. NLM

NHTSA complaint #553077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Green Lane, PA

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

THE REAR LAP BELT, BEHIND THE DRIVER ,GOT STUCK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE OWNER'S CHILD. SEATBELT STARTED TO TIGHTEN AROUND CHILD, AND HAD TO BE CUT LOOSE. DEALER HAS NOT REPLACED THE SEATBELT.

NHTSA complaint #859661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Stroudburg, PA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

WHILE DRIVING UNDER ICY CONDITIONS VEHICLE SLID INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AT 20 MPH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SETA BELT RIPPED, CAUSING RUG TO BURN TO DRIVER'S NECK. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #856941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cave Creek, AZ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

WHEN INSTALLING CSS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF SECOND ROW THE MIDDLE SEATBELT RETRACTOR WILL QUIT WORKING DUE TO PRESSURE ON THE LEFT SEAT. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW.

NHTSA complaint #849883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FT. Lauderdale, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

SHOULDER BELT IN THE VEHICLE'S THIRD ROW OF SEATS WAS SO TIGHT THAT IT WAS CHOKING THE CHILD. THE CHILD HAD TO BE CUT OUT OFF THE SEATBELTS. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA complaint #831157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Terrace, AK Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

WHEN BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR FLOORED ITSELF, PASSENGER WITNESSED FOOT ON BRAKE AND NOT THE THROTTLE. PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK, AND NOT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE FRAME WAS BENT FROM THE CRASH.

NHTSA complaint #704504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LAS Vegas, NV

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELTS LOCK UP VERY EASILY.

NHTSA complaint #541148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bridgeville, PA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY A VEHICLE THAT WAS GOING AT 35 MPH,SHOULDER HARNESS BECAME INOPERATIVE. DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL, AND RECEIVE CUTS ON FACE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #823517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Poria, IL

SEAT BELTS

VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT LOCKING SYSTEM WHICH DID NOT RELEASE OR RETRACT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO CUT THE BELT OF THE CHILD WHO NEARLY STRANGLED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #822949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Camas, WA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT DESIGN (ANGLE) DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE CHILD SAFETY SEATS.

NHTSA complaint #533992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anahaim, CA 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE A CHILD WAS SITTING ON THE MID ROW SEAT. WHEN THE CHILD STAPPED THE SEAT BELT AROUND HER NECK, PARENTS STOPPED VEHICLE ON EMERGENCY, AND CUT OFF THE SEAT BELT WITH A KNIFE TO RELEASE CHILD.

NHTSA complaint #822356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

RED Hook, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

CENTER/REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER , DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE ANY PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #815620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Maryville, TN Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

WHEN VEHICLE REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PREVENT THE DRIVER FROM GOING FORWARD; HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #813499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Teterboro, NJ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT THE SEAT BELT BROKE OFF FROM THE FRAME OF THE DOOR AND HIT DRIVER IN HEAD. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #809660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Ford Expedition problems

← Full 1997 Ford Expedition report