1998 Ford Explorer Seat belts Problems
- Complaints
- 38about this part
- Share
- 2%of 1,959 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 97,825miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 38 complaints about the seat belts of the 1998 Ford Explorer, 2% of the 1,959 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 97,825 miles. 5 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“1998 Ford Explorer left rear passenger safety belt release device that you put the seat belt into broke. I had my 1 year old daughter in her childseat correctly belted behind me in the left rear seat. I came to a normal stop, the heard belt click and turn around noticed it had come out of the buckle assembly. I pulled over and put the childseat and my daughter into the right rear seat. If I had come to a harder stop, or even a crash, my one and only daughter could have been killed. As of today, capital city Ford has not received my new buckle assemby. …”
NHTSA complaint #10025707, filed 2003-07, 78,100 miles“Dt: driver's side back seat belt latch broke. On june 1, 2005. Caller said the other two seat belt latches broke about a year ago and caller had them fixed. Also, she low beam iwasnot working . She had it checked at a repair shop and was told they could not find what was wrong with it. Dealer and manufacturer have not been contacted yet.”
NHTSA complaint #10130842, filed 2005-08, 150,000 miles“Driver's side seat belt latch failed. The seat belt latched in the morning but wouldn't catch in the afternoon. Truck was parked in a parking lot when the failure occured.”
NHTSA complaint #10510440, filed 2013-05, 137,662 miles“Dt: the contact purchased a used vehicle on a warranty. She discovered the rear seat belt buckle assemblies were broken. Also, the front seats did not recline properly. She took the vehicle to a dealer. No repairs have been made at this time.”
NHTSA complaint #10143552, filed 2005-11, 92,000 miles“Front driver and passenger seat belts do not retract properly and must be fed manually to retract. Subsequent damage to seat belt webbing causing possible failure upon impact.”
NHTSA complaint #10225831, filed 2008-04, 110,000 milesSeat belts: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2% |
| 2025 | 1 | 1% |
| 2024 | 1 | 5% |
| 2023 | 5 | 4% |
| 2022 | 5 | 2% |
| 2021 | 3 | 1% |
| 2020 | 18 | 1% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0% |
| 2018 | 8 | 1% |
| 2017 | 23 | 1% |
| 2016 | 40 | 2% |
| 2015 | 38 | 2% |
| 2014 | 28 | 2% |
| 2013 | 20 | 1% |
| 2012 | 14 | 2% |
| 2011 | 14 | 1% |
| 2010 | 1 | 1% |
| 2009 | 2 | 6% |
| 2008 | 4 | 3% |
| 2007 | 1 | 0% |
| 2006 | 6 | 1% |
| 2005 | 2 | 0% |
| 2004 | 7 | 1% |
| 2003 | 17 | 2% |
| 2002 | 34 | 1% |
| 2001 | 11 | 3% |
| 2000 | 16 | 2% |
| 1999 | 21 | 2% |
| 1998 | 38 | 2% |
| 1997 | 54 | 3% |
| 1996 | 78 | 5% |
| 1995 | 59 | 7% |
| 1994 | 13 | 1% |
| 1993 | 13 | 1% |
| 1992 | 24 | 4% |
| 1991 | 26 | 4% |
Other parts of the 1998 Ford Explorer
696 complaintsVehicle speed control
281 complaintsEngine cooling
189 complaintsElectrical system
114 complaintsSuspension
111 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
108 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
103 complaintsBrakes
94 complaintsSeats
70 complaintsSteering
70 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
65 complaintsFuel system
63 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Ford Explorer
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology