Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Escape owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I put money down on the vehicle the next day when I drove it I noticed that the seat belt doesn't work. I told him about it and he told me to se if it stays clicked on the passenger side. It does but I couldn't drive that way it was choking me. He said he would put a new one in it but never did. I have gone there several times a week and several times in a day for a couple of weeks. It has airbags or they don't work. Because the light will flash a bunch of times and then stay on. I can't drive it because there are no safety devices to keep me from being killed in the event of an accident. I would like help getting my down payment back so I can get a road worthy vehicle. I have spent all if this time trying to find away to get my money back. I have lost almost all of my clients due to not having reliable transportation to get to my the homes to clean them.
I was involved in a highway speed motor vehicle accident. I rear ended another vehicle at highway speeds. In the accident the seat belt pre-tensioner (or retractor) did not lock the belt in position. When I unbuckled after the accident the belt retracted back into the side panel.
Tl* - the contact called regarding the 2001 Ford Escape. The contact was traveling at 35 MPH. The road conditions were clear. The sun blinded the contact, and she rear ended the other vehicle, causing minor damage. The contact's vehicle was badly damaged. The frame was bent. The airbags did not deploy on impact. The airbag deployed after the contact's head hit the windshield. The driver was belted. The seat belt pretensioner did not deploy. The driver's head hit the windshield and the windshield cracked. The contact sustained injuries. The failure mileage was 84000. A police report was taken.
After starting the car, the dash light for airbag/seatbelts flashes continuously or flashes and then stays lit. Was told this was a known issue and was a wiring/sensor issue with the seatbelts. Assured there was nothing wrong with the seatbelt or airbag. This was intermittent in late 2016 and became continuous by June 2017. As this now happens continuously, it is impossible to know when or if you actually have an issue with your airbag or seatbelt.
In nov. Of 2006, I took my 2001 Ford Escape to the dealership because my right rear passenger seatbelt was twisting and was not retracting. My child's booster seat was held with this belt and was not working. The dealership told me that due to a flaw, condensation was able to get inside and that it had caused an internal spring to rust and break. They told me that in 2002 + models, it was redesigned and that coil or spring is now protected with a protective covering. I called Ford motor corp and they covered the repair and I had to pay a $75.00 deductible. Now 13 months later, the same problem had re- occurred. This time Ford motor corp. Says they will not cover it because my vehicle is out of warranty. …
I was writing this for my sister who is no longer here. She drove a 2001 Ford Escape going 60 MPH down the highway. The people in front of her stopped and she rear ended them. Her car flipped several times and she was ejected. Although the state troopers said she wasn't wearing her seat belt she clearly had a 2" by 4" abrasion on her left shoulder exactly the size and location that her seat belt would have been. The SUV was completely destroyed, not a panel on it wasn't smashed - and yet the airbags didn't go off. It was so bad that I went by the accident and didn't even recognize the car until a police officer called our house and told us about the accident and location. My sister was 22 years old with a husband and a daughter and now she is no longer here. …
1. The airbag light would stay on or flash 2. There was no consequence or failure since I responded immediately by taking the car to the dealership 3. Diagnostics were run showing diagnostic code b1881, high resistance, r&r both seats, r&r pretensions r kits. Reinstall and clear codes. I was told this meant in a crash, the front seat belts (both driver and passenger) would fail to retract, in essence, rendering the seat belts useless. Repair kits were installed on each seatbelt. Parts included with installation are: part number patskey $35.00, 1l8z 78610e22 aaa kit repair $103.33, 1l8z 78610e23 aaa kit repair $103.33, plus labor $227.95 for a total of $523.61. I don't think consumers should have to pay for such repairs. I would also like to know if this is a common failure in this car and should be a recall item before someone gets hurt.
Air bag light has illuminated occasionally since vehicle was new(nov 1, 2001). Seat belt buckle latch was replaced under warranty in jan 03. Problem fixed. Next occurrence nov 03. Connections cleaned and treated, problem fixed. In May 05 problem appeared again, with the addition of intermittent seat belt light illumination. Vehicle was returned to dealer. A TSB had been issued by Ford to replace the safety belt buckle pre-tensioner on both seats. The TSB was not covered by an extended warranty, and the repair would cost approximately $695. Repair was declined. However, owner was charged $75 to read the codes. Owner cleaned and treated electrical connections under both seats. Lights are no longer illuminated.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while traveling 30 MPH the vehicle was crashed into on the rear passenger side by another vehicle. As a result, the vehicle rolled over and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained cuts and bruises. The vehicle was destroyed. Also, the contact stated that the rear driver side seat belt webbing would seize, making it difficult to extend the seat belt. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileage was not available. Updated 11/14/12 updated 11/15/12
Dt*: the contact stated the airbag light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to the dealership. The dealership determined the pretensioner in the driver side seat belt needed to be replaced. The consumer had to pay for the repairs. Updated 07/03/06.
Related recalls
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
On certain sport utility vehicles, a post within the safety belt buckle covers could fracture, which could affect latch function, resulting in either a "no latch" or "partial latch" condition.
Remedy: Dealers will have the driver and front passenger safety belt buckle cover removed and replaced with a newly designed service buckle cover. Owner notification began on February 2, 2004.
NHTSA investigations
Safety belt buckle failure
This investigation was opened on July 14, 2003 based on 4 reports alleging the driver's safety belt buckle failed to latch or remain latched.Mazda notified odi that it transferred engineering responsibility to Ford when the vehicle design was brought to the united states for production in Ford's assembly plants.Ford determined that the safety belt buckle is subject to lateral flexing during use that could allow a…
Seat Belt complaints in other Escape years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 2001 Ford Escape?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the seat belts of the 2001 Ford Escape, 3% of the model year's 996 complaints. The component named most often is front (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Escape seat belt problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-507 (buckle assembly, Dec 5, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Escape seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries and 1 death to seat belts problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.