Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1% | 5,000 miles |
| 2021 | 1 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2020 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2019 | 2 | 1% | 47,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2017 | 16 | 6% | 67,000 miles |
| 2016 | 10 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 10 | 2% | 27,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2013 | 4 | 1% | 40,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 0% | 24,000 miles |
| 2011 | 3 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 1% | 109,000 miles |
| 2008 | 6 | 2% | 23,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 1% | 66,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 1% | 61,000 miles |
| 2005 | 4 | 0% | 49,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 2% | 162,000 miles |
| 2003 | 25 | 11% | 71,000 miles |
| 2002 | 21 | 13% | 61,000 miles |
| 2001 | 27 | 11% | 45,000 miles |
| 2000 | 43 | 11% | 79,000 miles |
| 1999 | 22 | 9% | 36,000 miles |
| 1998 | 23 | 8% | 87,000 miles |
| 1997 | 20 | 10% | 98,000 miles |
| 1996 | 16 | 6% | 69,000 miles |
| 1995 | 6 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
On July 26, 2021, I had a head on collision ( driver side to driver side ) where I felt like the vehicle didn't want to stop. Even when I applied the brake, the vehicle kept going forward. In that collision, even though I was wearing my seatbelt, my head went straight up and I hit the top of my car. My head felt crunched into my neck and shoulders, and the belt restrained me enough to pull my right shoulder back and down from having my head crunching further into the top of my car. Although I wasn't given a ticket for the accident, the Police found me to be at fault. Later, I went to an Urgent Care where they diagnosed me with having a concussion. I haven't seen any other necessary doctors, because I don't have the money out of pocket. I don't know that my remaining PIP will cover anymore. I am still having issues with my head, neck, back, and hip now. …
- The light of the airbag and seatbelt came on my dashboard, went to the dealership and they told me that there's an issue with the control module, apparently there is a recall for that but since my car wasn't called they could repair. - Backup camera goes completely off when trying to go on reverse.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was intermittently displayed with distorted lines and was unclear. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V614000 (Seat Belts); however, the parts to perform the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that there had been no failure related to the seat belts. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger's side seat belts were seizing. The occupants were concerned about being stuck inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The mechanic removed the inside panels of the seat belts and greased and cleaned the parts. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V614000 (Seat Belts). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an inspection was performed, and it was confirmed that the seat belts were working as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated that the emergency brake was engaged however, the vehicle crashed into the curb. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that the driver's side seat belt failed to operate and was seized. As result, the contact sustained an injury to her neck and finger. No medical attention was needed. The air bags failed to deploy. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle cylinder was replaced but failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced but diagnosed that nothing was wrong with the seatbelt. …
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while attempting to buckle the front driver's side seat belt, the seat belt anchor mounted on the floor by the front driver's side door detached. The contact stated that the seat belt anchor was severely corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the seat belt assembly needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the shipment of the part to the dealer would be expedited. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an unknown speed, her seatbelt was unlatched independently. The contact stated that his daughter continuously attempted to fasten the seat belt however, the seat belt locked up and she was no longer able to fasten and latch it securely. The contact stated that he attempted to fasten the seat belt himself and was successful after various attempts; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the driver's side seat belt mechanism needed to be replaced. The local dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The driver-side seat belt retractor on my 2015 Ford Mustang GT Premium has failed. The seat belt retracts back into the retractor housing when released; however, it does not lock when pulled sharply and continues to extend freely. I confirmed this by repeatedly performing a rapid pull test while seated in the vehicle. The failure affects the seat belt restraint system because the belt does not appear to engage its locking mechanism. This could increase the risk of injury in a crash because the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant during sudden deceleration or impact. The issue was inspected and confirmed by a Ford dealership service department. The dealer diagnosed the driver-side seat belt retractor as failed and recommended replacement of the retractor assembly. The dealer provided an estimated repair cost of approximately $550 plus tax. …
Related recalls (3)
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both front seat belt anchor pretensioner assemblies, as necessary. In addition, dealers will remove sections of the carpet and underlayment that contact the cables.
Seat belts
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured August 18, 2014, to October 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the passenger safety belt tension sensor may misclassify the size of the front passenger seat occupant.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger safety belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt retractor May have a pin shaft in the switchable elr/alr mechanism that is incorrectly formed. In some circumstances, the switching mechanism could become nonfunctional, preventing the seat belt webbing from being extracted from the retractor.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lap and shoulder belt assemblies. Assemblies with julian date codes of 200 through 223 are suspect and will be replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Mustang years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (43), 2001 (27), 2003 (25), 1998 (23) and 1999 (22) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Ford Mustang seat belt problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 25V-614 (pretensioner, Sep 12, 2025); 14V-649 (seat belts, Oct 17, 2014); 99V-250 (anchorage, Sep 20, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Mustang seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles; 42% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › retractor (74 mentions), followed by the front › anchorage (30).
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.