Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2014 Ford Escape submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that her mother observed that the driver's seat belt failed to retract properly over time and failed to secure the driver as intended. The contact stated that the seat belt was very loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
the drivers seatbelt does not retract. The seatbelt is extended all the way loose in your lap. In an accident i don’t think it would work at all. Something is broken inside that doesn’t allow it to retract on its own at all.
Drivers side seat belt retractor or pretensioner does not work. You have to physically push the seat belt back into place. I feel if I were to get in an accident the seat belt would not help me. The vehicle only has 65,400 miles on it. I feel this is unacceptable and Ford should fix this as a safety issue. The dealer gave a estimate to fix this problem and I believe their estimate is unacceptable at $535 for parts and labor.
The contact owns a Cybex Safety Seat, Model Number: 518002151, Model Type: Sirona M, Manufactured on July 2018. The convertible safety seat was being utilized in a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact noticed that his daughter had foam in her hands but he could not determine the origin of the foam. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22C001000 (Child Seat). Upon inspecting the safety seat headrest, the contact noticed that the bottom left side of the headrest was missing approximately 1.5 inches of foam. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to no longer utilize the safety seat as it was not safe. Additionally, the manufacturer informed the contact that they could not assist with the safety seat replacement due to the manufacture date. The safety seat was not replaced.
PURCHASED FROM FORD DEALERSHIP WHILE LIVING IN NEW YORK. UNDER THE WARRANTY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL LINE WAS REPAIRED IN 2016 (FORD CO), I NEVER RECEIVED ANY CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING ANY RECALLS FROM FORD COMP. SAME ISSUE OCCURRED AND I HAD TO PAY $2K TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS. I MOVED TO WAXHAW, NC IN 2017. AFTER THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRING, I CALLED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN LANCASTER, SC (MOVED HERE IN 01/2020). I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MULTIPLE "RECALLS" ONLY WHEN I CALLED FORD CO IN LANCASTER. I WAS NEVER MAILED ANY RECALLS. THE FORD CO FOUND RECALLS AND I TOOK IT TO THEM ON 3/11/2020. NOTE THAT THEY DID NOT OFFER ME A LOANER CAR, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS RECALL WORK . I PICKED IT UP THE SAME DAY AND TWO DAYS LATER, IT OVERHEATED YET AGAIN. I CALLED FORD CO AND SPOKE TO JATOYA AND JAMIE. ON MARCH 17,2020, IT STALLED AND THEN STOPPED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HWY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO FORD CO AND THEY STATED IT HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES THAT WOULD COST ME $6,700.60 TO REPAIR! THEY REPLACED THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR AND A LEAK. ON THE NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL SITE, I DISCOVERED 5 RECALLS. RECALL#'S 17V472000 (7/25/17),15V406000 (6/24/15)-ELECTRICAL/INSTRUMENT PANEL, 15V005000(1/9/15)-FUEL SYSTEM/GAS DELIVERY,FUEL PUMP), 17V209000(3/27/17)-ENGIINE/ENGINE COOLING), & 14V403000(7/2/14). I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD QUALIFY AS "LEMON LAW" OR AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY I RECEIVED NO NOTICES REGARDING THESE SIGNIFICANT RECALLS. LASTLY, I TRUST THAT YOU WILL RESOLVE THESE ISSUES IN A TIMELY MANNER, PROVIDE ME WITH A COST FREE LOANER VEHICLE, AND ALLOW ME TO TRADE IN THIS VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER ONE (CONSIDERING THE COSTS AND INCONVENIENCE INCURRED TO MYSELF AND THE INNATE POSSIBLE INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE TIME THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF THESE. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [XXX] ASAP *DT REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC CONSUMER STATED ANOTHER RECALL WAS
THE COMMUNITY I LIVE IS LANDLOCKED (JUNEAU, ALASKA) AND THE ONE FORD DEALERSHIP CLOSED ITS DOORS A YEAR AND HALF LATER; SINCE THIS TIME THERE IS STILL NOT FORD DEALERSHIP OR AUTHORIZED FORD GARAGE IN THE JUNEAU AREA TO CORRECT THESE SIX RECALLED ITEMS - FORD TELLS MY I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO DEALER MYSELF, HOWEVER THE COST TO TRANSPORT THE 2014 ESCAPE WOULD COST IN THE THOUSANDS IN TRANSPORTATION COST. I'VE CALLED FORD SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND REFUSED TO SEND TO SEND A TECHNICIAN OR OFFER A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO FIX THESE RECALLED ITEMS; SOME OF RECALLED ITEMS ARE PRETTY SERIOUS (POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE, AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN OR OUT GEAR). PLEASE HELP AS I TRY TO GET FORD TO FIX, BUT THEY OFFER NOTHING MORE EXPENSIVE COST TO ME FOR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT BELT LATCH DROPPED BELOW THE FOLD DOWN SEAT WHEN IT WAS FOLDED DOWN. THIS MADE FASTENING THE SEAT BELT IMPOSSIBLE. THE LATCH IS INACCESSIBLE. CANNOT BRING IT BACK UP WITHOUT COMPLETELY REMOVING THE SEAT.
CAR HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES. DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT MAINTAIN PROPER RECOIL TENSION. I HAVE TO HAND FEED BELT BACK INTO INCLOSEURE. I HAVE CLEANED THE BELT MULTIPLE TIMES WITH NO NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT.
SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACK, PULL FACE, WILL NO GRAB IT, PULL ALL WAY OUT AND WILL NOT RATCH TO STOP YOU FROM MOVING, I WILL NOT CRASH CAR TO SEE IF WILL KEEP ME IN SEAT AND OUT OF WIMDOW, I FILL IF I DID, IT WOILD NOT WORK, POWER TRAIN MAKE A WINING SOUND, MY NEED OIL
MY SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN THE BACK SEAT ARE HARD TO BUCKLE SOMETIMES WONT BUCKLE AND A FEW TIMES THE LOCKING MECHANISM DISENGAGES AND THE SEAT BELT WILL UNFASTEN WHILE IN USE. THE SEAT BELT HAS COME UNFASTENED THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING SINCE MARCH 2019
WHEN YOU FOLD THE REAR SEATS FORWARD ON THIS VEHICLE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES CAN FALL BELOW THE SEATS, THEN WHEN YOU RAISE THE SEATS BACK UP THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES STAY BELOW THE SEATS AND THE PLASTIC RECEIVER ENDS GET CRUSHED AND ARE UNUSABLE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE THAT IS STUCK UNDER THE SEAT AND IT CANNOT BE ACCESSED WITHOUT UNBOLTING THE SEAT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ANOTHER BUCKLE UP FROM BELOW THE SEAT BUT THE BUCKLE IS BENT AND UNUSABLE. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. DEALER SAID PRE-TENSIONER DEVICE WAS DEFECTIVE. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH, A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND HAND, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. *BF CONSUMER ALSO STATED DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT FAILED. CONSUMER 'S RIGHT SIDE HIT AGAINST SEAT BELT BUCKLE, CAUSING HER TO SEVERLY BRUISE WITH INJURY. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES ARE STUCK UNDERNEATH THE SEATS. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE ONE UP BY REACHING MY ARM UNDERNEATH BUT THE PLASTIC IS BENT UP AND THE LATCH DOES NOT PUSH IN MAKING IT INOPERABLE. IT APPEARS THERE IS METAL PIECE ON THE EDGE OF THE SEAT CUSHION THAT KEEPS THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES FROM COMING UP TO TOP SIDE OF SEAT WHERE THEY WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO PASSENGERS. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS LIKE THIS WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OR IF IT OCCURRED WHEN THE SEATS WERE FOLDED DOWN AT SOME POINT. I ONLY DISCOVERED IT WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER WAS RIDING IN BACK SEAT AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE SEAT BELT LATCHES.
I WAS IN A AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHEN ANOTHER CAR FAILED TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY. MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. MY SEAT BELT ALSO DID NOT HOLD ME TIGHT IN THE SEAT. I HAD SHOULDER AND NECK INJURIES. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WHEN PUTTING THE REAR SEAT DOWN IT CAUSED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES TO GET STUCK UNDER THE SEAT CUSHIONS WITH NO WAY TO GET THEM OUT. NOW THE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS CANNOT BE USED SAFELY AS THERE IS NO WAY TO BUCKLE PASSENGERS IN WITH THE BUCKLE STUCK UNDER THE SEATS. THIS TO ME IS A SAFETY RISK AND FLAW IN THE DESIGN AS THERE SHOULD BE NO WAY FOR THE SEAT BUCKLE TO BECOME STUCK UNDER THE SEAT CUSHION ESPECIALLY NOT ON A VEHICLE WITH UNDER 40,000 MILES.
SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT. ONCE PULLED OUT SEATBELT HANGS OUT OF DOOR AND DOES NOT PULL BACK IN TO RETRACTOR.
FRONT DRIVER SEAT FEMALE END OF SEAT BUCKLE NOT LOCKING SEATBELT TONGUE INTO PLACE. NO VISIBLE ISSUES WITH BUCKLE OR TONGUE.
BACK SEATS BUCKLES WITH NOT FASTEN. WIRING SYSTEM TRIPS MULTIPLE SENSORS SOMETIMES SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC
AFTER FOLDING THE BACK SEAT FORWARD IN DOWN POSITION, THE SEAT BELT LATCHES ARE NOW STUCK UNDER THE SEATS. YOU CAN'T GET THEM BACK OUT WITHOUT UNBOLTING THE SEAT. SO NOW NO ONE CAN RIDE IN THE BACK IF THEY ARE TO BE BELTED IN FOR THEIR SAFETY.
SEATBELTS DON'T RETRIEVE BACK IN, RUST UNDER STEERING COLUMN
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT.
1. SEAT BELT: DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED WORKING AND WILL NOT CLICK OR LOCK INTO PLACE. THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS TO NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED WHEN NEEDED, INCREASE THE RISK OF OCCUPANT INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. 2: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL: BLANK DISPLAY, OR OFTEN TIMES INRESPONSIVE. IF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER OF MAY NOT BE WARNED OF SAFETY RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS LOW TIRE PRESSURES OR DISABLED AIR BAGS, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY OR A CRASH. 3.BODY: DOOR: THE BODY OF THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS OFTEN HARD TO CLOSE AND THE BODY OF THE DOOR OFTEN COMES OFF. A DOOR THAT OPENS UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE RESULT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE, MAY RESULT IN AN UNRESTRAINED OCCUPANT FALLING FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
SPRING IN MECHANISM THAT LATCHES DRIVER SEAT BELT HAS FAILED AND THE ENTIRE MECHANISM IS FAILING STARTING AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY WAS UNSTABLE AND MADE RATTLING AND POPPING NOISES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED THE SEAT BELTS TO LOCK IN ONE PLACE AND WOULD NOT ADJUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A REGIONAL INSPECTOR WAS DISPATCHED TO INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AGAIN, INCLUDING ADDING INSULATION TO REDUCE THE NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES AND WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES, BUT THE NOISE COULD STILL BE HEARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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