2020 Ford Expedition seat belts problems

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Seat belts · WA

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on backorder. The contact was concerned that the vehicle could not be rented because of the open recall.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Seat belts · FL · 1 injury

While operating the vehicle, the seatbelt retractor unexpectedly misfired and deployed with explosive force directly adjacent to my left ear. As a military veteran who already manages service-connected tinnitus, the concussive sound—comparable to a gunshot—significantly aggravated my condition, resulting in elevated ringing and heightened health impacts. ​Furthermore, the seatbelt mechanism is now permanently locked in a compromised position. This creates an unsafe driving environment, as it squeezes me tightly against the seat and distances me improperly from the steering wheel. ​This failure has severely impacted multiple aspects of my daily life: ​Professional Impact: My role as a Security Project Manager requires frequent travel between various operational sites. The current condition of the vehicle makes commuting unsafe and directly impedes my ability to perform my job duties. ​Health & Lifestyle: The physical discomfort, combined with the severe aggravation of my pre-existing ear condition and the general disruption to my family's routine, has caused significant distress. ​Following the incident, I contacted Ford frontline support, documented the situation, and received a case number. I was advised to bring this case number to my local Ford service department to secure a courtesy vehicle or loaner. They could not provide loaner and has sent me to Hertz ​As a loyal, repeat Ford customer who has purchased multiple vehicles from the brand. Given the safety implications and the disruption to my work and health, I request immediate assistance regarding a safe, long-term resolution and appropriate temporary transportation. ​

Filed Sep 29, 2026 · Lights, Seat belts · TX

The aluminum around the cup holders has been peeling for over a year. It sliced my finger and my [XXX] foot. It is VERY sharp and I am currently holding it down with tape. There is a safety recall but no solution. When will there be a solution for this? Next, all my seatbelts immediately lock once retracted out to buckle. This makes moving around in the seat hard since it automatically locks and when trying to buckle. If you don’t pull it out far enough to buckle, it will lock where it is and you have to retract it back to unlock it. There is a recall for this too with the front seat belts but it specifically happens with my back seatbelts. This has happened since I bought the car in 2020z INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 21, 2026 · Seat belts · MO · 1 injury

Beginning XXX, the vehicle's restraints control module repeatedly warned of a fault with the passenger seatbelt retractor pretensioner circuit, via in-vehicle warning light and Ford app alert. This warning recurred on XXX, and again on XXX, each instructing the owner to contact an authorized dealer as soon as possible. On XXX, the vehicle was brought to Clement Ford in [XXX] for diagnosis. Service technician [XXX] confirmed via text message that the diagnostic codes were secondary codes tied to the open recall for the seatbelt pretensioners, and stated that "the pretensioners have been placed on hold for that recall." The technician advised the owner to wait until the recall remedy was released, have the recall repair completed, and verify the concern was resolved at that time. On XXX, the owner again contacted [XXX], this time in connection with a required state safety inspection for license plate renewal. The vehicle passed the safety inspection. In the same exchange, the owner again asked about the open recall, and [XXX] confirmed in writing: "The seatbelt recall is on hold and can not be done at this moment... nothing can be performed at this time. We are just waiting on Ford to get things going." No interim repair, part replacement, or other remedy was offered or performed on either occasion. On XXX, at approximately 1:40 PM, at 79,000 miles, while driving with the engine on and under normal conditions — no collision or impact event — the front passenger seatbelt retractor pretensioner deployed inadvertently. The deployment produced a loud explosion-like sound and a strong odor resembling gunfire/gunpowder. The belt immediately locked tight across the occupant's chest and would not retract or extend, causing an abrasion injury to their arm. This is the exact failure mode described in the federal safety agency Recall 26V344: driver and/or front passenger seatbelt retractor INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 16, 2026 · Body, Seat belts · 101,000 miles · UT

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notifications of the federal safety agency Campaign Numbers: 26V344000 (Seat Belts), 26V368000 (Structure), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the parts to be available. The contact stated that after pulling into the driveway and shifting into park(P), the parking brake engaged independently, causing the vehicle to jerk into park. The failure was intermittent. The following morning, the gear shifter shifted hard into reverse(R) while attempting to reverse out of the driveway. While driving at lower speeds under 50 MPH and coasting forward, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact attempted to continue driving but the vehicle slightly jolted forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that there were metal shavings inside the transmission. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · Seat belts · VA

My 2020 Ford Expedition has an open Ford safety recall 26S34 involving the front seat belt retractor/pretensioner. My driver’s seat belt is now completely unusable (shredded and locked in place), making the vehicle unsafe to drive. Ford and the dealership have confirmed that the recall applies to my vehicle, but I have been told the permanent recall part is currently unavailable. I was told that if I want a functioning driver’s seat belt while waiting for the recall part, I must pay out of pocket to have a temporary/older part installed. I explained to Ford that I cannot safely operate the vehicle without a functioning driver’s seat belt and asked what no-cost solution Ford would provide while its recall remedy is unavailable. I requested either a covered temporary repair or alternate transportation and asked for the matter to be escalated. Ford customer service refused to transfer me to a supervisor, and the representative ultimately disconnected the call. I am requesting the federal safety agency review whether Ford is meeting its obligations under this safety recall when an affected vehicle currently has an unusable driver’s restraint, the recall remedy is unavailable, and the owner is being required to pay out of pocket to restore a functioning restraint while waiting. Ford Case #CXH09305259

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Body, Seat belts · 60,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive with the unrepaired seat belt recall. The contact received notifications of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts), 26V368000 (Structure), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Seat belts · LA

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. While entering the vehicle, the contact became aware that the front passenger’s side seat belt was locked but was able to be retracted. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (SEAT BELTS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Filed Aug 31, 2026 · Seat belts · 87,849 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while parking, the passenger removed their seat belt. As the seat belt retracted, there was a very loud explosion sound. A cloud of dust was observed, and the passenger-side seat belt became extremely tight. The contact stated that the vehicle shook, and the sound and movement originated from the passenger-side seat belt retractor housing. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to perform the recall repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with the failure related to the recall; however, the dealer stated that the contact would have to pay out of pocket for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,849.

Filed Aug 29, 2026 · Seat belts · TX · 2 injuries

My 13 year old daughter and I were driving home from softball practice, and mid conversation, without warning, it felt like something rammed into us from the side of my car. We were coasting at a cool 40 miles per hour and were winding down after a long day. My daughter yelped that her seatbelt was suffocating her. My mind was racing but I didn't see a vehicle that anywhere that looked like it actually hit us. After further researching the issue, I discovered that the massive boom we felt in my vehicle was most likely the pyrotechnic charge firing inside the seatbelt retractor assembly. My daughter's seatbelt instantly retracted tightly, and my daughter had to unbuckle quickly. I'm glad I was still with it enough not to stop right there because no doubt we would've been hit on the highway, and her sitting there without a seatbelt. We pulled over and inspected our vehicle but no sign of a wreck, confused we googled exactly what had happened and were in shock to find that the seatbelt had deployed like a bomb in our vehicle. The recall has been noted without a remedy on both the dealer's website as well as the federal safety agency, however, we were never notified by mail. The vehicle was inspected previously, and the dealership noted that it had the recall without communicating with us. This happened without warning, messages, or anything else. My driver side seatbelt did not work effectively like it would if we were indeed in a crash, so I felt like someone wrecked into us and I basically didn't have a seatbelt restraint because the vehicle did not recognize the deployment of the mechanism as a "wreck". My neck down to my back hurts and has continued to be sore from the incident. I have been hit by vehicles before over my lifetime, and this felt much harder than any hits I have encountered.