2019 Ford Expedition Seat Belt Problems

108 owners have reported seat belts problems with the 2019 Ford Expedition to NHTSA — 21% of all 518 complaints for this model year. The typical failure happened around 90,000 miles. That ranks #1 of 25 Expedition model years for seat belt complaints (a typical year has 4). 3 related recalls have been issued.

108complaints
90ktypical miles
3related recalls
1crashes
2fires
29injuries

Which parts fail

  • Pretensioner
    5
  • Critical fasteners
    1

Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    00%
  • 25k–50k
    25%
  • 50k–75k
    1637%
  • 75k–100k
    1126%
  • 100k–150k
    1228%
  • 150k+
    25%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 40 -45 mph, he collided with a Volkswagen Jetta that cut him off. All the airbags in the vehicle deployed. The contact son was occupying the front passenger seat but the seat belt failed to retract. There were no warning lights illuminated. The steering wheel air bag struck the driver in the mouth. The passenger had scratches, but medical attention was not provided. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the failure but provided no additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

Critical fasteners · 89,000 miles · Dec 2022 · crash · 2 injuries

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. …

95,000 miles · Apr 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH with the driver's seat belt fastened, she observed a loud explosion inside the vehicle, and then she felt what she thought was an impact to her chest, and the wind was knocked out of her as she began gasping for air. The contact stated that she believed she had been shot. The contact added that she steered the vehicle to the side of the road and where she observed that the driver's seat belt did not extend or retract, and the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after 20 minutes, she observed a swollen imprint of the seat belt, which eventually scabbed over. 911 was called, but Medical attention was not needed. …

135,000 miles · Aug 2025 · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormally loud popping sound coming from the vehicle, accompanied by a rotten-egg odor. The contact stated that the driver's seat belt tightened and locked across the chest, rendering the seat belt inoperable; however, the contact was eventually able to unbuckle the belt. The contact had a headache due to the noise and left shoulder pain associated with the seat belt failure but had not sought medical attention. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts). The dealer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled; however, the vehicle was not yet repaired. …

152,000 miles · Jul 2026 · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 - 20 MPH and driving up to a red traffic light, there was a loud booming sound heard inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact pulled to the side of the road and had the vehicle inspected where no failure was found. The contact continued driving the vehicle. The contact stated that after approximately 2-months after the failure had occurred, the contact became aware that the front passenger's side seat belt failed to extend or retract. The contact's spouse was an independent mechanic and inspected the vehicle after the first failure and was unable to diagnose and determine the cause of the failure. While inspecting the vehicle after the second failure, there was white residue found within the seat belt buckle; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. …

70,000 miles · Aug 2023

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). …

135,000 miles · Oct 2025 · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's seat belt retractor pretensioner was inadvertently deployed. The contact's shoulder was sore from the seat belt deployment but received no medical treatment. The contact pulled over and called her father, who researched and discovered that the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V099000 (Seat Belts). The contact had not received notification of the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the front driver's seat belt retractor needed to be replaced; however, parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact was informed that she could pay for the repair and keep the receipt for reimbursement from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. …

96,000 miles · Jun 2024

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V197000 (Seat Belt). The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, she observed a noise resembling a gunshot, and the driver's seat belt tightened to the point where she could not breathe. The contact stated that while in shock, she eventually depressed the driver's seatbelt release button and then released herself. The contact stated that when the seat belt retracted, the belt cut on her neck and put a hole in the side of the seat. The contact stated that her grandchildren were passengers at the time of the failure, and they were all terrified. Medical attention was not needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where she was advised that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

59,000 miles · May 2025 · 1 injury

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.

90,000 miles · Jun 2026 · 1 injury

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.

133,000 miles · Jul 2026

Related recalls

Seat belts › Pretensioner

NHTSA recall 26V-344 · May 27, 2026 · 419,967 vehicles

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 8, 2026.

Seat belts › Pretensioner

NHTSA recall 25V-197 · May 23, 2025 · 112,951 vehicles

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.

Seat belts › Pretensioner

NHTSA recall 24V-099 · Feb 9, 2024 · 77,574 vehicles

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractors, as necessary. Additionally, dealers will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge.

NHTSA investigations

Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment

NHTSA investigation RQ24015 · opened Nov 15, 2024 · closed Jul 23, 2025 · led to recall 25V-197

On November 22, 2023, the O ce of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE) PE23021 to investigate complaints of front seat belt retractor pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Expedition vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company.

Seat Belt Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment

NHTSA investigation PE23021 · opened Nov 22, 2023 · closed Jul 29, 2024 · led to recall 24V-099

On November 22, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-021 to investigate instances of seat belt pretensioner inadvertent deployment in model year (MY) 2019 Ford Expedition vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company. Some complaints allege hearing a loud, explosion-like sound immediately followed by the seatbelt tightening around the occupant's torso area.

Seat Belt complaints in other Expedition years

’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26’271525893620145422122313614108394321
Seat Belt complaints per model year, Ford Expedition.

Frequently asked questions

How common are seat belt problems on the 2019 Ford Expedition?

NHTSA has 108 complaints about the seat belts of the 2019 Ford Expedition, 21% of the model year's 518 complaints. The component named most often is pretensioner (5 mentions).

Is there a recall for 2019 Ford Expedition seat belt problems?

Yes — NHTSA recall 26V-344 (pretensioner, May 27, 2026); NHTSA recall 25V-197 (pretensioner, May 23, 2025); NHTSA recall 24V-099 (pretensioner, Feb 9, 2024). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

At what mileage do 2019 Ford Expedition seat belt problems start?

Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.

Is it dangerous?

Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 29 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.