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 1998 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. While parked, the contact noticed both the passenger and driver side seat belt latches for the middle row of the vehicle were fractured. The contact stated that the passenger seated in the middle row of the vehicle was unable to buckle the seat belt. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics or repairs. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. The VIN was not available.
While driving 35 MPH on a sheet of ice vehicle lost control and slid into a guardrail. Upon a frontal impact, driver's and passenger's airbags did not deploy, whichnot protecting the occupants. Also, driver's seatbelt did not retract, which did not hold the occupant in seat, and causing occupant to sustain injuries. Please provide further information.
Dt*: the contact stated the left front driver's seat belt will not properly lock into the buckle assembly. This failure occurred without incident. The vehicle has not been seen by a dealer. Updated 02/28/06.
Safety belt on 98 Ford expdition will not function. Belt will latch, then when pulled, will release. The cover on the belt is loose and it will not function properly. Have contcted Ford 6 times with no reply.
Lap belt in rear seat would not retract whenever shoulder belt was used on rear driver's side. If the shoulder belt was released from the child safety seat the lap belt would retract. Dealer notified, and informed consumer to contact manufacturer. However, no reponse was received. Car seat cannot be safely placed in the middle seat with this defective seat belt. Seatbelt was replaced with another defective belt. No help from Ford.
The support bolt on the left side has broken and the right side is bent and ready to break. I do have photos. The seat belts are ripping in half at a point where the belt is inside the reel. Both shoulder belts on the 3rd seat have ripped and the left side 2nd seat shoulder belt has ripped aprox. 3/4 of the way through. Ford will not commit to replacement, will only evaluate.
Child in rear outbound seat got shoulder belt caught under her leg when attempting to unlatch the seat belt. Seat belt became very tight and would not release, causing the parents to cut the child out the belt. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Please provide any further details.
Son was sitting on the passenger very rear seat--he turned in a complete circle which caused the safety restraint to wrap around his torso--tried to loosen the seat belt would not release--the belt became tighter--had to cut the belt to get my son out of the restraint
On-going / intermittent problem with lap belt latch in 2nd. Row, failing to engage, leaving occupant without any restraint if involved in a vehicle collision. Dealer notified. Unable to use this position for child safety seat.
Consumer's vehicle was involved in a collision and the passenger's seat belt did not hold. The passenger sustained a shoulder injury.
Seat Belt complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1998 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the seat belts of the 1998 Ford Expedition, 3% of the model year's 836 complaints. The component named most often is rear/other (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Expedition seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1998 Ford Expedition, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Expedition seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 130,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries 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.