IllustrationMiddle row right side and middle row left side seat seatbelt retractor pretensioners are malfunctioning and causing the seat belts to lock up while the vehicle is in and driving. I have received alerts on my ford pass for this issue as well. As well as the front passenger and driver side.
2019 Ford Expedition
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Expedition years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Ford Expedition are substantially higher than the model-year median of 155.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Expedition years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
180–25K
2425–50K
5850–75K
5075–100K
33100–150K
3150K+
186 reports with mileage · 308 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 217 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 107 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 95 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports3 fire reports33 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
95 reportsWhile driving down the highway I suddenly heard a loud bang and what looked like smoke came out from the area by the front passenger seatbelt. The seatbelt had suddenly retracted fully and locked. Thankfully the seat was unoccupied at the time, so nobody was injured by this. When calling the local Ford dealership we were told we…
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While driving down the highway I suddenly heard a loud bang and what looked like smoke came out from the area by the front passenger seatbelt. The seatbelt had suddenly retracted fully and locked. Thankfully the seat was unoccupied at the time, so nobody was injured by this. When calling the local Ford dealership we were told we needed to bring vehicle in for inspection before parts could be ordered. When we called back to schedule the inspection we were told the recall was paused so we needed to wait to even have the inspection. After contacting Ford corporate we were finally able to bring in for inspection 06/01/2026 to confirm what we already knew about the broken seatbelt retractor. The dealership relayed this info to Ford, and Ford told them not to fix it at this time. When we called the dealership 06/08 they relayed that info to us. We then requested that Ford provide us a loaner vehicle. The dealership called us back 06/09 to let us know that Ford would not be providing a loaner vehicle. Our front passenger seat is occupied about 95% of the time, and that seatbelt is completely unusable. We have not been given any kind of timeline for when it can be repaired, and have no other option but to drive it the way it is. It is illegal and we are forced to put the life of one of our family members at risk because we do not have any extra seats or the money to buy yet another vehicle or pay for a rental as we are still paying for this vehicle that we bought less than a year ago.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition Max. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V099000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's seat belt retractor pretensioner unexpecte…
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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition Max. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V099000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's seat belt retractor pretensioner unexpectedly deployed while the contact's minor son was seated in the front passenger seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not inspected. The contact was informed of an inspection fee and was informed that the parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
he contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 35MPH, occupied with his wife in the vehicle, the contact heard a loud bullet noise and his wife thought she has gotten injured from a weapon. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and he noticed the passenger seat belt had retracted indepen…
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he contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving 35MPH, occupied with his wife in the vehicle, the contact heard a loud bullet noise and his wife thought she has gotten injured from a weapon. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and he noticed the passenger seat belt had retracted independently the exposed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they informed the recall was paused and they were nothing they could do at this time. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V344000 ( SEAT BETLS) The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate mileage was 73,000.
While backing up the vehicle, the front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioner suffered an inadvertent, spontaneous pyrotechnic deployment. There was a loud pop resembling a firecracker, immediately followed by smoke in the cabin and the odor of gunpowder. The force of the explosive deployment dislodged the interior B-pillar…
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While backing up the vehicle, the front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioner suffered an inadvertent, spontaneous pyrotechnic deployment. There was a loud pop resembling a firecracker, immediately followed by smoke in the cabin and the odor of gunpowder. The force of the explosive deployment dislodged the interior B-pillar trim panels. The passenger front seatbelt has been locked into place. Following this, the dashboard displayed a Check Engine light and a Battery charging system warning light, indicating the electrical system was damaged. The vehicle is rendered undriveable due to the disabled charging system and the compromised passenger seat belt. There were absolutely know warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms prior to the failure. At this time, the incident has not yet been physically inspected, as corporate customer service lines indicated a remedy hold on the active safety recall (Recall 24S06).
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V197000 (Seat Belts). However, the parts required to complete the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that both front seat belt retractors had failed and needed to be …
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The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V197000 (Seat Belts). However, the parts required to complete the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that both front seat belt retractors had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the original seat belt retractors would be reinstalled and would not be replaced due to the manufacturer advising that the recall remedy is currently on hold. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer has exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide a remedy for the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Complaint: While driving at normal road speed with no collision or impact, I experienced a sudden loud “pop” from the driver-side seatbelt area. Immediately after, I noticed a burning smell coming from the same location. I initially believed I had a tire blowout and pulled over to inspect the vehicle. When I attempted to unbuc…
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Complaint: While driving at normal road speed with no collision or impact, I experienced a sudden loud “pop” from the driver-side seatbelt area. Immediately after, I noticed a burning smell coming from the same location. I initially believed I had a tire blowout and pulled over to inspect the vehicle. When I attempted to unbuckle and then re-extend the seatbelt, I found that the seatbelt was locked and would not retract or extend normally. The restraint system is now inoperable. This incident appears to be an inadvertent deployment of the seatbelt pretensioner without a crash event, resulting in a restraint system malfunction. The failure occurred during normal driving conditions and without any external trigger. This creates a serious safety risk because: * The seatbelt is no longer functional and cannot properly restrain the occupant * The unintended deployment could startle the driver and lead to loss of vehicle control * The presence of a burning smell raises concern for thermal or electrical hazard within the restraint system I am aware of similar complaints involving unintended seatbelt pretensioner deployment in Ford Expedition vehicles of similar model years. This incident should be investigated as a potential defect affecting occupant restraint systems. I’ve contacted ford with no help to resolve the issue Injury: No Crash: No Fire: No (burning odor present, no visible flames) Speed at time of incident: 35 Mileage at time of incident: 170xxx The vehicle’s seatbelt system remains in a failed/locked condition and requires repair.
Had a passenger in my vehicle and the seatbelt would open/work. I took my vehicle to Confidence Ford in Norman,OK and was told the second row passenger seat lower retractor assembly needs to be replaced and it was not covered by the recall/warranty.
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…
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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). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 135,000.
the catch mechanism in passenger middle row and driver middle row are not working you cannot wear a seat belt currently as the latch will not catch my children sit in these seats and its unacceptable for such a mandatory safety feature not to be covered by ford in 55 years i have not scene a malfunction on a seatbelt receptor Fo…
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the catch mechanism in passenger middle row and driver middle row are not working you cannot wear a seat belt currently as the latch will not catch my children sit in these seats and its unacceptable for such a mandatory safety feature not to be covered by ford in 55 years i have not scene a malfunction on a seatbelt receptor Ford needs to be alerted they have a problem and start a recall and fix my vehicle ASAP for 100% safety issues!
Official recalls
1126V402000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 24, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Navigator, Expedition, 2020-2021 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2021 F-150 vehicles. The transmission park pawl may engage while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in park system damage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Park system damage may result in a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, and inspect and replace any damaged transmission components as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed July 10, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in April 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S48. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 26, 2026.
26V368000 · Structure:interior Panels:center Console
Jun 9, 2026
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2024 Expedition vehicles. The chrome plating on the center console may bubble and peel, resulting in sharp edges.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Vehicle occupants may contact the center console's sharp edges, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the center consoles as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 16, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in January 2027. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S38. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026.
26V344000 · Seat Belts:pretensioner
May 27, 2026
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
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. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S34. This recall replaces and expands previous NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
25V886000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Dec 18, 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V263. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster panel software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C71. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 15, 2026.
25V197000 · Seat Belts:pretensioner
May 23, 2025
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend can fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
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. Ford's number for this recall is 25S31. Some vehicles in this recall that were previously inspected under recall 24V-099 and did not have parts replaced will need to have this new recall remedy completed.
24V852000 · Equipment:other:labels
Nov 8, 2024
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, 2020-2024 Escape, Lincoln Corsair, 2018-2024 F-150, Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The air bag warning label may be missing from the dashboard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without a label that shows the proper restraint usage guidelines, the occupants may have an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail owners the warning labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 19, 2024. Owners may call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24C39.
24V099000 · Seat Belts:pretensioner
Feb 9, 2024
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Seat belts that do not retract or extend may fail to restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.
23V420000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Jun 9, 2023
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with third-row seating; and 2019-2023 F-Super Duty F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 SuperCab vehicles. The owner's manual does not include instructions for adjusting or removing certain head restraints. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 202, "Head Restraints."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Without instructions, the head restraints may be improperly adjusted, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail the Owner's Manual addendums that describe how to adjust and remove the head restraints for the center seating positions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C20.
20V263000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel; Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
May 8, 2020
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S21.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.
Consequence: If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S21.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and 2019-2020 Mustang vehicles. The "Transmission Not In Park" warning message and associated chime duration are shorter than intended.
Consequence: If the driver exits the vehicle without the transmission being shifted into park, unintended vehicle movement may result, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S21.
19V773000 · Suspension:rear
Oct 28, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles. The rear suspension toe link fasteners may not have been properly tightened to the frame, possibly allowing separation from the frame.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A disconnected toe link can cause a sudden change to vehicle handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the rear toe link fasteners, check and adjust the rear toe alignment, and inspect the rear tires for abnormal tire wear, replacing them if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S36.
19V633000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner; Seats:mid/rear Assembly
Aug 28, 2019
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats:mid/rear Assembly
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
Seats:front Assembly:recliner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also included are certain 2020 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with rear outboard seats and manual seat back recliner mechanisms. The recliner mechanisms may be missing the third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C07.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2RQ24015 · Seat Belt Retractor Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
Opened Nov 15, 2024 · Closed Jul 23, 2025
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:pretensioner
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 the occupant’s torso area. The complaints did not state that a crash occurred that may have resulted in the deployment of the pretensioner system, suggesting that this deployment was inadvertent or otherwise unwarranted. On February 9, 2024, Ford issued safety recall 24V-099, recalling certain MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioners built between October 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. Ford described the defect as a seat belt retractor pretensioner assembly that may develop corroded squib pins, resulting in high resistance or an open circuit, which could result in an inadvertent deployment of a pretensioner and an increased risk of injury due to the loss of the pretensioner’s protection and a seat belt that remains in the locked position. This recall includes 77,574 vehicles. On November 15, 2024, ODI opened this Recall Query (RQ24015) after receiving 3 complaints involving vehicles not included in recall 23V-099 but that alleged a similar failure. As a result of this investigation, Ford issued safety recall 25V-197 on March 28, 2025, to expand the scope of 24V-099 to include MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt retractor pretensioners built between October 1, 2018, and July 31, 2020. This recall includes 105,322 vehicles, some of which are also included in 24V-099. Additionally, on May 23, 2025, Ford issued 25V-197 Amendment #1, which further expands the recall population’s scope for vehicles with build dates of September 2018. This amendment added 7,627 additional vehicles to the 25V-197 population. In response to ODI’s inquiries in RQ24015, Ford indicated that it cannot conclusively determine the root cause of the relevant failure. Ford was able to determine that certain pretensioners may develop corroded squib pins potentially resulting in inadvertent deployment, but it was unable to specify the cause of corrosion. Without a specific root cause, Ford assessed field performance of pretensioners to determine the scope of the recalls. ODI is aware of three vehicles that experienced pretensioner inadvertent deployment that are not included in either 25V-197 or 24V-099. Two of these vehicles are MY 2018 Lincoln Navigator vehicles built prior to October 1, 2018, and both experienced failures after more than six years of use/exposure while the recalled vehicles experienced higher rate of failures with less exposure. The remaining incident involves a MY 2021 Ford Expedition that was built after July 31, 2020. ODI is not aware of any other relevant failures in vehicles built after July 31, 2020. As such, ODI has not currently identified a safety defect trend for this issue in vehicles outside of the recalled populations. ODI will continue to monitor allegations of pretensioner inadvertent deployment in subject vehicles that are not included in 25V-197. In view of the safety recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ24015). The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
PE23021 · Seat Belt Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
Opened Nov 22, 2023 · Closed Jul 29, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:pretensioner
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 not allege a crash occurred that may have resulted in the deployment of the pretensioner system. The investigation revealed certain seatbelt pretensioners may develop corroded squib pins where the bridge wire (heating element of pyro-technic device) is welded. Extended corrosion and a partial separation of the weld may cause a high resistance or an open circuit condition to occur, potentially resulting in pretensioner inadvertent deployment. Inadvertent pretensioner deployment will result in the seatbelt being locked in position, no longer able to extend or retract as designed, which may result in injury in the event of a crash. 11 minor injuries were reported due this failure. Most injuries were bruising to the torso area caused by the rapid tightening of the seatbelt during an inadvertent deployment. On February 9, 2024, Ford filed recall 24V099 for certain MY 2018-2020 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles with production dates between October 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. The recall remedy provides the replacement of both front seatbelt retractors if found to have a production date code within the suspect production date range. In view of the recall action being taken by Ford, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.