2019 Ford Expedition seat belt problems

SEAT BELTS

There is a known recall on the front seatbelt restraints on 2019 Ford Expeditions. It has been over a year and Ford still does not have a remedy. I got a fault code and light on the dash regarding the front drivers side seatbelt. Ford confirmed I’m at risk of the pretensioner detonating and tightening but refuses to give a loaner car, a temporary fix, or issue a no drive warning.

NHTSA complaint #11758812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact was unable to extend the driver’s side seat belt to securely buckle the seat belt. The failure was a recurring failure. The "Supplemental Restraint System" warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V099000 (Seat Belts); however, the remedy 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 failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,270.

NHTSA complaint #11757023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

My 2019 Expedition has experienced an inadvertent seat-belt pretensioner deployment. There was a very loud explosion-like bang, the belt tightened suddenly, fortunatelly I didn't loose control of the car and continue driving slowly until I got home (5 min away). Now the belt is locked and cannot retract or extend. The vehicle is not safely usable. I had light bruises on my left shoulder and some pain. I've called the dealer and they said there is a recall on this but no solution until September.

NHTSA complaint #11756465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11755226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

While I, the driver, was parking the vehicle, there was a loud pop noise next to my ear. My seatbelt locked up in place and there was smoke coming from the seatbelt tensioner area of the car. The seatbelt will not move at all now. I just took it into the Ford dealer and they said they are unable to fix it under the recall because it is only in the advanced stages. They recommend that I wait.

NHTSA complaint #11754414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an explosion sounding like a gunshot coming from the top of the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat belt retractor tightened, and the contact felt severe pressure on the chest, almost knocking the wind out of the contact. The vehicle was swerving due to the failure, but the contact was able to keep the vehicle under control before pulling over. There was a burned electronics odor coming from the seat belt location. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts). The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA complaint #11753478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V099000 (Seat Belts). While driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching an intersection, the air bag warning light illuminated. There was an abnormally loud sound like a gunshot coming from the vehicle, and smoke was inside the vehicle. The front passenger’s seat belt unexpectedly deployed and retracted on the side of the vehicle. The seat belt failed to move and became inoperable. Prior to the failure, the owner's daughter was seated in the front passenger’s seat. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

NHTSA complaint #11751497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the driver’s seat belt pretensioner exploded and locked the driver in extremely tightly. The contact was startled and lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle almost drove into a ditch. The vehicle was stopped, and after approximately 10 minutes, the driver’s seat belt retracted. The contact stated that the shoulder belt webbing did not retract, but the contact was able to latch the seat belt and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the seat belt and pretensioner needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

NHTSA complaint #11750918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the driver’s and front passenger’s side seat belts failed to operate properly. The driver’s and front passenger’s side air bags warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts); and associated the failure with the recall. However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. 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 failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA complaint #11750937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11748747 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11748921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11748011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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)

NHTSA complaint #11747570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11744843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

Middle row right side and middle row left side seat seatbelt retractor pretensioners are malfunctioning and causing the seat belts to lock up while the vehicle is in and driving. I have received alerts on my ford pass for this issue as well. As well as the front passenger and driver side.

NHTSA complaint #11744221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11743160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11742813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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. 

NHTSA complaint #11742076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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).

NHTSA complaint #11740171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11735842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11735389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.