2019 Ford Expedition seat belt problems
104 of the 505 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Ford Expedition name the seat belts (NHTSA’s “Seat Belts” heading — as ODI groups the complaints it receives). Filed under the same heading: 3 recalls, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the seat belts
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 104 reports a crash · 2 a fire · 29 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2022: 2 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 28 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 47
Half of the 42 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the seat belt problem between 66,000 and 108,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
505 complaints in all about the 2019 Ford Expedition, 47 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Seat Belts” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Ford Expedition seat belt problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the seat belts. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed and determined that the passenger’s side seat belt pretensioner was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75-80MPH, she heard a loud popping sound and noticed that the front driver's side seat belt had exploded. The contact stated that the front driver’s side seat belt failed to retract. The air bag warning light illuminated.
I reported this incident once already and since then 2 more 2019 For Expedition had the exact same issue. The seatbelt tensioner charge blew up for no reason while vehicle was stopped and running. This is a very dangerous problem as I almost heart attack, I thought I was shot. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AND DON'T WASH IT UNDER THE RUG.
pretensioner in driver's seatbelt went off without warning while driving 5 mph on smooth residential street
Got into the car, and started it before I put my seatbelt on the seat belt tensioner exploded on just the drivers side. Now the seatbelt will not release
What is on file about the seat belts
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecalls filed under this heading
- 26V344000 HighMay 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.
- 25V197000 HighMay 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.
- 24V099000 HighFeb 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.
NHTSA investigations
- RQ24015 Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deploymentopened Nov 15, 2024 · closed Jul 23, 2025
- On November 22, 2023, the Office 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. Some complaints alleged hearing a loud, explosion-like sound immediately followed by the seat belt tightening around th…
- PE23021 Seat Belt Pretensioner Inadvertent Deploymentopened Nov 22, 2023 · closed Jul 29, 2024
- 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. The complaints do n…
Other systems with a record on the 2019 Ford Expedition
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 224 complaints
- engine problems 139 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre seat belt problems common on the 2019 Ford Expedition?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 104 owner complaints naming the seat belts on this model year (21% of everything owners filed about it), and 3 recalls, 2 NHTSA investigations are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the seat belts on the 2019 Ford Expedition?
Yes — 3 campaigns are filed under this heading: 26V344000, 25V197000, 24V099000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do seat belt problems show up on the 2019 Ford Expedition?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 78,000 miles; half of them between 66,000 and 108,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Seat Belts" heading cover?
The area of the vehicle ODI files the complaint under. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.