YearToAvoid

2020 Ford Expedition Seat Belts Problems

Seat Belts problems account for 37 of 414 complaints (9%) filed on the 2020 Ford Expedition, with a median failure mileage of 66,230 miles. Five separate NHTSA recalls cover seat belt pretensioners, retractors, and tension sensors on this model year.

Seat Belts complaints
37
9% of 414
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
10
Median mileage
66,230 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical seat belt symptoms owners report

  • Front passenger seat belt pretensioner unexpectedly deploys or tightens on its own, sometimes with a loud pop and a burning smell inside the cabin.
  • Seat belt buckle tension sensor fails, triggering the air bag warning light and requiring dealer replacement.
  • Seat belt locks up and will not retract or release, particularly on the driver's side or front passenger side, forcing the belt to stay locked until the vehicle is turned off.
  • Second-row seat belts will not retract or will not lock properly, which also prevents secure installation of a child car seat.
  • Seat belt receiver or buckle hardware cracks or breaks even with light, infrequent use.
  • Owners report long waits for recall parts and repairs, with some describing the delay as affecting vehicle use.

When 2020 Ford Expedition seat belt complaints were filed

First complaint Apr 28, 2023, latest Sep 21, 2026.

2020 Ford Expedition seat belts complaints: complaints filed per month6Apr 2023Feb 2024Aug 2024Feb 2025Aug 2025Oct 2025Jun 2026Aug 2026
37 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2023 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2026 (6).

Seat Belts recalls for the 2020 Ford Expedition

  1. NHTSA 26V344000May 27, 2026Seat Belts419,967 vehicles

    Seat belts:pretensioner

    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 NHTSA recalls 24V099 and 25V197. Vehicles previously inspected or repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.

  2. NHTSA 25V197000May 23, 2025Seat Belts112,951 vehicles

    Seat belts:pretensioner

    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.

  3. NHTSA 24V099000Feb 9, 2024Seat Belts77,574 vehicles

    Seat belts:pretensioner

    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.

  4. NHTSA 20V574000Sep 23, 2020Seat Belts123 vehicles

    Seat belts

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The seat belt tension sensor may incorrectly classify a child occupant as an adult.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, the incorrect classification would enable the passenger air bag to deploy instead of disabling it, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S54.

  5. NHTSA 20V217000Apr 16, 2020Seat Belts1,355 vehicles

    Seat belts

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Expedition vehicles. The front passenger seatbelt buckle's Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) may malfunction and may result in the seat occupant being misclassified.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide the intended level of protection, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seatbelt buckle, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S17.

Seat Belts complaints by Expedition model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20101 (2%)
  2. 20110 (0%)
  3. 20122 (2%)
  4. 20132 (2%)
  5. 20143 (4%)
  6. 20151 (1%)
  7. 20163 (1%)
  8. 20176 (2%)
  9. 201812 (3%)
  10. 2019101 (20%)
  11. 202037 (9%)
  12. 20213 (1%)
  13. 20223 (3%)
  14. 20232 (3%)
  15. 20241 (1%)
  16. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are seat belt complaints on the 2020 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA lists 37 seat belt complaints for the 2020 Expedition, which is 9% of the 414 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a seat belt recall for the 2020 Ford Expedition?
Yes. NHTSA lists five seat belt-related recalls touching the 2020 Expedition, covering pretensioners, retractors, and buckle tension sensors, campaigns 26V344000, 25V197000, 24V099000, 20V574000, and 20V217000.
At what mileage do seat belt problems typically appear?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 66,230 miles at the time of the reported seat belt failure.
Did the seat belt issues cause any injuries or crashes?
NHTSA records show 1 crash and 10 injuries associated with seat belt complaints on the 2020 Expedition, and no fires.
How does 2020 compare to other Expedition model years for seat belt complaints?
The 2020 Expedition's 9% share is lower than the 2019 model year's 20%, but higher than most other Expedition model years, which mostly sit at 1-4%.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.