2016 Ford F-150 · symptom sheet
Seat belt or seat problems
- 33owner reports
- 53,000median miles
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Sep 19, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
33 of the 2,057 complaints on this car describe seat belt.
Tick what matches of 33 reports
Seat belt on other F-150 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This group covers the belt and the seat it's bolted to: buckles that won't latch or won't let go, belts that lock up and won't pull out, and seats that shift or rock in their tracks. It's a wide bucket, with over 9,000 complaints across the vehicles on this site, and a quarter of them mention a recall.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the buckle (8 reports) and the seat frame or track (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
4 recalls on the seats cover the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
Loose power seat adjuster pivot bolts may cause the front seat cushions to detach and not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash.
The left rear inflatable seat belt buckle assembly may be inadequately attached to its mounting bracket.
The seat back frame may have insufficient welds which may not meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, "Head Restraints" and 207, "Seating Systems."
All 14 recalls on the 2016 Ford F-150, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the seats on the F-150
Seatbelt pretensioner fire. Closed dec 17, 2018, led to recall 18V-568.
Front seat belt buckle assembly. Closed jul 6, 2005.
Front seat belt buckle assembly. Closed feb 17, 2005.
Seat belt anchorage separation. Closed dec 24, 1996, led to recall 96V-256.
Seat belt anchorage separation. Closed aug 30, 1996, led to recall 96V-256.
Front seat back failure. Closed oct 29, 1993.
Fnt reclning seat bck fail. Closed aug 27, 1992.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 27,000 and 73,000 miles, from the 17 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Ford F-150 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2013-2018 C-Max, 2013-2020 Fusion/MKZ, 2013-2021 Escape, 2015-2018 Focus, 2015-2019 MKC, 2015-2021 Edge/F150/Mustang, 2016-2018 MKX, 2016-2019 Explorer, 2017-2021 F-Super Duty, 2018-2021 EcoSport/Expedition, 2019-2021 Ranger/Nautilus, 2021 Bronco ...
Some 2015-2019 F-150/Explorer, 2017-2019 F-Super Duty/Continental, 2018-2019 Expedition/Navigator, 2016-2018 MKX, 2019 Nautilus, and 2013-2019 MKZ vehicles equipped with Multi-Contour seats may exhibit intermittent multi-contour seat operation and/or massage ...
Some vehicles may have a concern where the safety belt retractor webbing does not extract from the stowed position or exhibits excessive pressure on the occupant during use.
What owners wrote
“The seat track pivot link bolt has failed, yes it is available for inspection. The seat now has tons of travel in it, which will not restrain the driver in event of a crash. I have visual evidence of the part failure. The issue was part of a safety recall 17S40 which Gwinnett Place Ford claims to have addressed in 2024. The part has now failed.”
Filed Sep 19, 2025
“The rear seat not lock in seat position its very dangerous in accident. Another problem ist when the transmmission decelerate she past the 3 at 1 speed dirrectly and a knoging in the transmission. Can you expect that please”
Filed Mar 28, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 33 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 339 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 183 reports
- Doors, latches or locks fail 159 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 128 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 107 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 105 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 95 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 92 reports
- Rear window shatters or explodes 90 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 82 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 57 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 41 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 35 reports
- Windshield wipers stop working 33 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 32 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 30 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 29 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 27 reports
- Turbo failure or loss of boost 25 reports