The seatbelt stopped retracting properly and no longer locks when I break suddenly or when I pull the belt all the way out
Ford Escape seat belt problems
123 of the 27,615 owner complaints about the Ford Escape describe seat belt won't latch or retract, most of them for the 2013 model year.
- owner complaints
- 123
- worst model year
- 2013
- typical repair cost reported
- $650
- typical mileage
- 60,000
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Airbag light 11No deployment 9Stalling 2Door locks 2Tire blowout 1Steering lock-up 1Power steering loss 1Jerking 1
What owners say
We are concerned that the seatbelt and possibly airbag malfunctioned and contributed to my mother in laws death on 11/17/2025. The drivers seatbelt had not been latching properly and would come unlatched at random times prior to the accident. The car was taken to dealership, based on the seatbelt not staying latched and it was repaired on 10/20/2025. She continued to have issues with it after the repair. Less than a month later, she was killed in a low speed collision. The cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma to the chest. The officer on the scene expressed concern that the seatbelt malfunctioned and that it did not hold her securely.
The rear hatch clicks like it wants to open but doesn't release the latch to open it and I can't get to the place to release an lower the spare tire which is safety concern to me. Also the driver side seat belt casing broke and doesn't release every time you push button to unlatch it which can cause serious problems if in an accident I had a individual garage guy inspect an said he had replaced several latch mechanisms in the hatch for several escape owners i can't afford to have it replaced at this time. If we're to have a flat in extreme heat or extremely cold weather it can cause heat stroke or hypothermia. There were no warning signs one day wouldn't open. An seatbelt wouldn't release one day until pushed so hard the casing broke off an could push clip inside
My child got into the back passenger seat and wasn’t able to click her seatbelt into the buckle. I used a flashlight to see if something had gotten stuck in it, there’s nothing. It simply won’t click in. The red button can be pressed down but won’t allow the seatbelt to go into it. I used this same seatbelt and could buckle into both other buckles.
2017 Ford Escape In 2025 driver's side front seat belt would not retract. Car taken to Balise Ford in Hyannis, MA. Balise Ford did an inspection (for which a charge was imposed) to determine if repair can be done. Seat belt could not be repaired and needed to be replaced. Replaced in January 2025. Information is being submitted since it was noticed that there was a recall for 2018 Ford Escape with seat belt retraction problem. Invoiced for repair are attached.
The drivers seat belt buckle lactch has broke. The part of the buckle that latched the seatbelt has broken and fallen down into the buckle therefore the drivers seat belt can not be worn. This is a huge safety issue and is also illegal. The seat beat and buckle should be something in a vehicle that doesn’t just break like this. Makes me very concerned that they will not hold up in an accident.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed the vision of the driver, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The message "Rear-view Camera Unavailable" was displayed on the screen. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the front passenger’s side seat belt retractor failed to function as intended. The contact stated that after unbuckling the seat belt buckle, the seat belt failed to retract. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. Recently, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. After several attempts, the vehicle was restarted, and there was an abnormal fuel-burning odor entering the vehicle through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was refueled, and the contact checked the oil dip stick, and the oil level was extremely low. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
Right side rear passenger seat belt malfunction as it won't retract and when pulling it around your body there is no resistance as it just hangs loose.
For months, I have had restraints indicator lamp warning, specifically for the driver seatbelt buckle sensor circuit, as well as one notification for a fault with the occupant classification system which includes air bags and safety belt buckle pretensioners. It is going to cost over $600 to fix the driver belt alone. As this is part of the safety features of a car, I do not feel as though the consumer should be responsible for this. It seems as though it should fall on that of the manufacturer
I recently purchased this vehicle. The driver seatbelt does not retract snugly when fastened. The tensioner is not working. I am afraid it will not hold me if I crash. I will fix this. It is a serious safety issue!
Related recalls
Seat belts: rear/other: retractor
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Corsair and Escape vehicles. The seat belt retractors for the left and right rear passenger seats may not be securely fastened.
- Risk
- An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and secure, or replace the seat belt retractor bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C68. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on December 15, 2025.
Recall number 25V862000 · Recall details
Seat belts
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Ford C-Max vehicles manufactured January 19, 2012, to November 21, 2013; Ford Fusion vehicles manufactured February 3, 2012, to August 24, 2013; Ford Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, to November 1, 2013; and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to September 30, 2013. The coating on portions of the Restraint Control Module (RCM) may crack, and when exposed to humidity, circuits on the printed circuit board may short.
- Risk
- The short circuits could cause the frontal air bags, side curtain air bags and the seat belt pretensioners to not function as intended when needed, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the RCM, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. The recall began on May 26,2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S21.
Recall number 14V597000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, a post within the safety belt buckle covers could fracture, which could affect latch function, resulting in either a "no latch" or "partial latch" condition. In the "partial latch" condition, the buckle tongue can be inserted into the buckle and appear to be engaged, but will release from the buckle without the push button being depressed when a relatively low load is applied, such as when an occupant moves slightly in the seat.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will have the driver and front passenger safety belt buckle cover removed and replaced with a newly designed service buckle cover. Owner notification began on february 2, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.
Recall number 03V507000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Escape seat belt
Which Ford Escape years have seat belt won't latch or retract problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2013 (15 complaints), 2014 (15 complaints) and 2015 (11 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix seat belt won't latch or retract on the Ford Escape?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $650 (median of 10 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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