The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving 45-50 MPH, there was an abnormally loud popping sound, and the contact felt an impact to the chest, and became aware of an abnormal odor. The seat belt warning light had illuminated after the failure. The contact stated that the front driver’s side seat belt retracted and locked. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, where bystanders assisted in freeing the contact from the locked seat belt by sliding the front driver's seat rearward while unlatching the seat belt buckle. The contact sustained bruises to the chest. The contact resumed driving after 20 minutes. The dealer was contacted by phone and informed the contact that the failure was associated with 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 notified of the failure by phone and confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 163,689.
2019 Lincoln Navigator seat belts problems
26 complaints (30% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 93,000. 2 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 26
- of this car's complaints
- 30%
- typical mileage
- 93,000
- crashes
- 2
- recalls
- 3
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Lincoln Navigator seat belts problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2019 Lincoln Navigator seat belts
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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 the federal safety agency recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
Recall number 26V344000 · Recall details
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 25V197000 · Recall details
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 24V099000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Seat Belt Pretensioner Inadvertent Deployment
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
PE23021
What 2019 Lincoln Navigator owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while shifting the transmission from Reverse (R) to Drive (D), the driver's seat belt suddenly jolted her back into the seat, causing neck and shoulder pain. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) message was displayed. A loud, gunshot-like sound was heard, and an odor similar to a deployed air bag was noticed following the incident. The contact was informed by an unknown dealer that the parts were backordered for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts). The contact then notified the manufacturer by telephone regarding the incident. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Seatbelts are not functioning properly. They have been in a locked position for some time now. I have contacted Lincoln and they state a remedy is not yet available. This puts anyone driving the vehicle in grave danger without being properly restrained.
My vehicle was moving slowly in a pickup line for my child. Randomly, the seat belt retractor went off and pulled me back into the seat. Initially, I thought it was a gunshot. Smoke was all in the car. My neck/shoulder has some bruising and cuts from the seat belt. There was a seatbelt light on the dash. It has been there for some time, but the recall's hasn't been issued and it's not realistic to not have a car until FoMoCo issues the fix.
On XXX, around 7:00–8:00 PM, I was driving a 2019 Lincoln Navigator normally when the driver's seat-belt pretensioner suddenly deployed without any crash, collision, or impact. The seat belt tightened forcefully against my chest, causing an injury, and I noticed a strong chemical/fume smell immediately afterward. A [XXX] infant was in the rear seat at the time. I was evaluated by a doctor the following day and diagnosed with a contusion of the unspecified front wall of the thorax. X-rays were performed, and I am currently awaiting the results to determine whether there is any additional injury. I was prescribed pain medication. The vehicle has not yet been inspected or repaired, and the seat-belt assembly is available for inspection. There were no warning lights or messages before the deployment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the front driver’s side seat belt pretensioner inadvertently deployed and released smoke. The vehicle was towed to the residence and could not be repaired by a mobile technician. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was determined that the seat belt needed to be replaced. The contact later received notification for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V344000 (Seat Belts); however, the dealer informed the contact that the seat belt would be replaced out-of-pocket because the remedy was not yet available. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
COMPONENT FAILURE: The driver-side front seat belt retractor & pyrotechnic pretensioner assembly spontaneously & violently deployed while the vehicle was in motion. Immediately following the explosion, the vehicle's dashboard SRS/Airbag warning light illuminated & remains locked on. The component is currently intact & remains inside the vehicle; it is fully available for physical inspection upon request. SAFETY RISK: The component fired with a gunshot-like sound inside the enclosed cabin, forcefully locking & pinning the [XXX] driver against the seat. This sudden explosion & physical restraint severely startled the young driver, nearly causing a loss of vehicle control. Had this occurred seconds later as we exited the subdivision & turned onto CR 346 heading toward Whitehouse—which is a narrow, fast-moving two-lane county road with no shoulder—a severe head-on collision with oncoming traffic or a road-departure rollover would have been unavoidable. The incident caused ongoing shoulder/chest soreness to the [XXX] driver & extreme distress to an autistic passenger in the vehicle. Furthermore, the driver's safety belt is now completely flaccid & inoperable, leaving the driver with zero crash protection. DEALER CONFIRMATION: Not yet confirmed by tech. Dealer did not provide/offer an emergency drop-off or inspection stating a 4-day delay (Wednesday) would be likely- leaving 1-car family stranded. 3rd-PARTY INSPECTION: None. Vehicle remains parked at residence awaiting safe transport. WARNINGS/SYMPTOMS: Zero symptoms, alerts, or warnings prior to failure. SRS light triggered immediately at moment of deployment due to system fault. ADDITIONAL DATA: This incident is a direct failure under the federal safety agency Campaign Number 26V344 (Lincoln Service Action Code 26S34) regarding the spontaneous, unprovoked deployment of front seat belt retractor pretensioners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While a passenger was riding in the company-owned Lincoln Navigator, the front passenger seat belt suddenly tightened with significant force without a collision or other apparent triggering event. The seat belt remained extremely tight against the passenger and caused visible bruising. We later became aware that Ford has issued safety recalls involving inadvertent deployment of the seat belt retractor pretensioners on certain Lincoln Navigator vehicles. We are reporting this incident as a suspected seat belt pretensioner/retractor malfunction and are requesting that it be documented and investigated.
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver’s side seat belt retractor pretensioner deployed. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V197000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was 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 approximately 117,000.
I was driving my car about 30 miles an hour when my driver’s side seat belt suddenly locked down on me painfully. Also when that happened it sounded like a gunshot went off and it smelled like smoke. I did not hit anything or apply my brakes suddenly to cause the seat belt to engage.
Questions about the 2019 Lincoln Navigator seat belts
Does the 2019 Lincoln Navigator have seat belts problems?
Owners have filed 26 complaints about the seat belts of the 2019 Lincoln Navigator, 30% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2019 Lincoln Navigator seat belts problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 93,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2019 Lincoln Navigator seat belts?
Yes, 3 recalls: 26V344000, 25V197000, 24V099000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 2019 Lincoln Navigator problems
Transmission 24Engine 12Electrical 11Driver assistance 5Airbags 4Visibility 4Acceleration 3Seats 3Steering 3Body 2Suspension 2Brakes 1Lights 1Locks 1Tires 1Wheels 1
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