72 complaints reported

2001 Ford F-150 Seat Belts

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
72
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2025

The contact owns a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 01V227001 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front passenger’s seat belt loosened independently, and the front driver’s side seat belt occasionally loosened independently. The local dealer informed the contact that parts for recall repairs were not on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 242,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2024
Jul 2023

The contact owns a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side seat belt unbuckled independently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 00V348000 (Seat Belts) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 293,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2023
Jul 2022

The seat belt quit locking in place shortly after I purchased the truck

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company Type: Equipment, Vehicle: 9999 AM SAFE SEAT BELT CONNECTORS, Manufacturer: AM SAFE, INC.
Incident: Feb 2022
Feb 2022

Whoever tested our seatbelts on this vehicle years ago at the Ford dealership in Florence, Alabama did not do a good test. When me or my husband are driving the driver side seatbelt will release and we have to pull over to fasten it back again. It will do this several times while driving, which is a safety hazard. It has to be a defect in the connection of the seatbelt. The one on the passenger side works and have not had any problems with it coming undone. It is only the one on the driver's side that wants to come undone while driving. We will put it on and tug on it and it stays but when driving it will not stay fastened long. When they did the test at the Ford dealer in Florence, Alabama many years ago, all they did was fasten it without sitting in the seat and tug on it a few times and said it passed. We then moved to Texas in November of 2001 and on the way there it started releasing going down the road. Since the seatbelt was tested back then we were not sure if we could get it tested again for that purpose. Is there anything we can do to get this fixed even though we had it tested already once before?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Nov 2001
Dec 2021

The contact owns a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the passenger’s and driver’s side seat belts would unbuckle without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 01V227001 (Seat Belts) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2017
Sep 2020

MY DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2020
Jun 2019

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL UNLATCH ON IT'S OWN WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. DRIVER REATTACHED THE BUCKLE. DRIVER PULLED ON BUCKLE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SECURE. SEAT BELT UNLATCHED 2 MORE TIMES WHILE DRIVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jun 2019
Jan 2019

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK. WAS ON A TRIP, ARRIVED AT DESTINATION, WENT TO LEAVE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT BUCKLE. STILL WON'T BUCKLE. I AM CONCERNED, WHAT IF THE DRIVERS SIDE BUCKLE FAILS WHILE I'M DRIVING IT? I DID READ OF SOME OTHERS FAILING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2018
Jul 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT INFLATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT ALSO INFLATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LITHIA FORD OF MISSOULA (3943 BROOKS ST, MISSOULA, MT 59804, 406-251-2525) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 162,500.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2018
May 2017

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BECOMES DISCONNECTED FOR NO REASON AND NO INDICATION ON THE DASH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2017
Aug 2016

DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR EXTEND BELT CANNOT BE BUCKLED. SOMETIMES IF I SPEED UP TO AROUND 30 MPH BELT WILL RELEASE BUT HARD TO BUCKLE WHILE DRIVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2016
Jul 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS BECAME UNLATCHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 162,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2016
Mar 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT BELT LOOSENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V227001 (SEAT BELTS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 255,506.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2016
Feb 2016

2 OUT OF 3 OF MY SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LATCH. I CONTACTED FORD AND ADVISED THEM O FOUND A RECALL ONLINE ABOUT THIS. FORD STATED RECALLS ARE VIN SPECIFIC. I ADVISED FORD THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS SAME ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL. FORD REFUSES TO FIX IT FROM FORD DEALERSHIP LEVEL TO CUSTOMER RELATIONS LEVEL. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE UNKNOWN HOW LONG AGO IT STARTED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2015
Oct 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SAFETY BELT UNLATCHED AS THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. ...UPDATED 02/08/16 *BF *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2015
Sep 2015

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WEBSITE EXISTED. FOUND IT IN AAA WESTWAYS MAGAZINE. THE DATE AND MILEAGE I SUBMITTED IS NOT ACCURATE BECAUSE THIS EVENT HAPPENED ON/OFF ABOUT 5-7 YEARS AGO. INTERMITTENTLY THE DRIVERS SEATBELT WILL UNBUCKLE BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. I CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND ASKED IF THEY KNEW OF ANY RECALLS AND THEY STATED "NO". I DEFINITELY FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY NOW THAT MY DAUGHTERS ARE DRIVING NOW. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2015
Jul 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, THE SEAT BELT INADVERTENTLY LOOSENED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,635.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2015
Apr 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 01V227000 (SEAT BELTS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2012
Feb 2015

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2014
Jan 2015

WHILE SHIFTING ABOUT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO BACK UP AND LOOK REARWARD TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UNEXPECTEDLY CAME UNBUCKLED AND BEGAN TO RETRACT. I THOUGHT THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN AT FAULT AND NOT PROPERLY BUCKLED IT EVEN THOUGH THE NORMAL WARNING LITE AND SOUNDS INDICATING AN UNBUCKLED SEAT BELT WERE NOT EVIDENT. OWNERS BEGAN TO "TUG" THE BELT AFTER LATCHING IT EACH TIME TO ENSURE PROPER CLOSURE AND VERIFY BUCKLE ENGAGED. THE SAME EVENTS, USUALLY ENCOUNTERED WHILE SHIFTING POSITION IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, HAPPENED REPEATEDLY EVEN THOUGH BUCKLES INITIAL ENGAGEMENT HAD BEEN TEST VERIFIED BY THE DRIVER EACH TIME. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT IN ANY ACCIDENT, THAT BELT MIGHT DISENGAGE AND CAUSE US INCREASED HARM AS A RESULT. WE TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND ASKED IF ANY RECALLS OR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS HAD PROMPTED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX STATED ISSUE WITH SAFETY EQUIPMENT. CHAMPION FORD (AN AUTONATION DEALERSHIP) IN HOUSTON ON KATY FREEWAY STATED NO KNOWN ISSUES OR COMPLAINTS. BEING A MASTER CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN FOR OVER 20 YEARS MYSELF, I ASKED THEM TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER ON OUR BEHALF ASK FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT THESE ISSUES, WHICH WAS DENIED BY FORD AND NO ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. I THEORIZED AND INSPECTED THE MECHANISMS MYSELF AND REQUESTED THEY PROVIDE ME, AT OUR COST, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUCKLE MECHANISM THAT BOLTS TO THE FLOOR ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I INSTALLED THE COMPONENT MYSELF AND HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE ISSUE SUBSEQUENT TO THAT INSTALLATION PROVING BEYOND A SHADOW THE BUCKLE MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE, BOTH IN NOT WARNING US AND PHYSICALLY NOT ENGAGING 100%. I WAITED THIS LONG TO ENSURE THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED, AND HAVING MOVED OUR HOME, TO AGAIN LOCATE THAT REPLACEMENT PART WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO NHTSA AT NO COST, OR FORD (AT REPLACEMENT VALUE I PAID) FOR INSPECTION. PART NUMBER 1L7Z 7861203 AAG. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F SERIES (LIGHT), Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2012
Nov 2014

ALL THE SEATBELTS ARE BROKEN OR WANT LATCH. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2010
Oct 2014

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WILL UNLATCH WHILE DRIVING. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO REASON FOR IT TO UNLATCH AS IT WILL DO IT AT ALL SPEEDS USUALLY SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2014
Feb 2014

WHILE DRIVING, THE SEATBELT CLIP WILL RELEASE FROM THE CATCH, CAUSING THE BELT TO RETRACT AND BECOME INEFFECTIVE WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, AND UNDER VARIOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. I CAN FIND NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN EXTERIOR OF THE INSTALLED EQUIPMENT. MY VEHICLE HAD THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR REPLACED AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THIS APPEARS TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT RECALL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F SERIES, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2013
Aug 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UNBUCKLED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL BUT NO FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2002
Jan 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLES WOULD UNLATCH INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V227001 (SEAT BELTS) IN 2001. THE FAILURE RECURRED RECENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2001 FORD F-150, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2001 Ford F-150 has 72 Seat Belts complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.