Anyone else have problems with their second row inflatable seat belts? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Anyone else have problems with their second row inflatable seat belts?

BMan5150

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O-HI-O
Year, Model & Trim Level
2014 Ford Explorer Sport
My ex sport has about 36,000 miles on it. I've owned it for 2 years since new. So far, we've had to replace both outbound inflatable belts due to them sticking and not being able to pill or extend them to put them on. To top things off, a black plastic cover broke off of the driver side belt and now that ones being replaced yet again. Part has been on order for over a week. I'm not impressed by these belts. The plastic cover seems incredibly cheap and poorly designed. Love th concept, not liking the execution. Hope they figure things out and improve the design.

I've never had a seat belt problem before in any car. I'm about to have my third seat belt replaced in my ex sport. Not good.
 



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Why would you even want those?
 






No problems with ours in the Platinum.
 






My ex sport has about 36,000 miles on it. I've owned it for 2 years since new. So far, we've had to replace both outbound inflatable belts due to them sticking and not being able to pill or extend them to put them on. To top things off, a black plastic cover broke off of the driver side belt and now that ones being replaced yet again. Part has been on order for over a week. I'm not impressed by these belts. The plastic cover seems incredibly cheap and poorly designed. Love th concept, not liking the execution. Hope they figure things out and improve the design.

I've never had a seat belt problem before in any car. I'm about to have my third seat belt replaced in my ex sport. Not good.
Although this doesn't seem to be your issue, be aware of it.

2014 Ford Explorer Air Bags Service Bulletin 388349

Action Number: 10058235
Service Bulletin Number: 388349

Report Date: Jul 23, 2015
Component: Air Bags

Summary: Ford explorer 2014-2016: bulletin information involving vehicles equipped with second row inflatable seat belts may exhibit an airbag warning light illuminated with dtc b141b and b141c.

Peter
 






No issues with ours but to be fair, we have car seats so never use them.
 






Although this doesn't seem to be your issue, be aware of it.

2014 Ford Explorer Air Bags Service Bulletin 388349

Action Number: 10058235
Service Bulletin Number: 388349

Report Date: Jul 23, 2015
Component: Air Bags

Summary: Ford explorer 2014-2016: bulletin information involving vehicles equipped with second row inflatable seat belts may exhibit an airbag warning light illuminated with dtc b141b and b141c.

Peter

Thanks for the heads up!
 






My ex sport has about 36,000 miles on it. I've owned it for 2 years since new. So far, we've had to replace both outbound inflatable belts due to them sticking and not being able to pill or extend them to put them on. To top things off, a black plastic cover broke off of the driver side belt and now that ones being replaced yet again. Part has been on order for over a week. I'm not impressed by these belts. The plastic cover seems incredibly cheap and poorly designed. Love th concept, not liking the execution. Hope they figure things out and improve the design.

I've never had a seat belt problem before in any car. I'm about to have my third seat belt replaced in my ex sport. Not good.

I also encountered this exact issue with my 2nd row seatbelt. I'm unable to pull or use one seatbelt at the 2nd row. I'm not really sure why it was stuck but will bring it to dealership for replacement/repair.
 






Seatbelt is still not in stock. Still waiting on it.
 












We use ours multiple times a day and haven't had an issue.
 






The inflatable portion of the belt should not affect the retraction, as it is no the part that coils.
 






2014 XLT with BLIS and no problems - I have someone in the back seat usually several times a week.
 






No issues thus far with ours....not quite 48k miles on our 2013 XLT with BLIS
 






Just to be clear, I'm not referring to Ford's BLIS (Blindspot Safety Information System.). This thread is about the second row optional inflatable airbag seat belts.
 






Just to be clear, I'm not referring to Ford's BLIS (Blindspot Safety Information System.). This thread is about the second row optional inflatable airbag seat belts.

Sorry, there is an exact one-to-one relationship between BLIS and the inflatable second row seat belts - you can't get one without the other. So, I tend to use 'BLIS' as synonymous with the whole inflatable second row | Blind Spot Information System | Cross-traffic Alert system.
 






Sorry, there is an exact one-to-one relationship between BLIS and the inflatable second row seat belts - you can't get one without the other..
Just to be clear, you can get BLIS without the inflatable 2nd row seat belts in Canada.

Peter
 






Retraction/extension issues are related to the mechanism or belt routing. The belt type (normal or inflatable) doesn't have any bearing on that. If it is the shoulder belt that is sticking, you can pull the trim out far enough to see if it is caught. If it is the lap belt, the problem is either a bad retractor (either out of adjustment or failed) or the belt has twisted and become lodged. The same thing can happen with the top one as well. Replacing the belts themselves is probably an unnecessary expense.

As far as the plastic buckle covers, I agree those are a bad design, but can be easily replaced. I ordered some from White Bear Lake Ford (https://parts.autonationfordwhitebearlake.com/) and put them on myself. Removing the pin that holds the lap belt on can be a little tricky, but you just need to get a small flat head screwdriver under the flange side of the pin and pry it up.
 






Good to know about the replacement belt buckle cover. I'm surprised my dealer didn't realize you could just order those vs. the entire belt.

The second row inflatable seat belts were a separate, stand alone option on my 2014 sport ex.
 






The second row inflatable seat belts were a separate, stand alone option on my 2014 sport ex.

I realize that there are many versions of the Explorer offered in different regions but the 2014 Brochure I have shows BLIS as "BLIS Plus Inflatable Rear Safety Belt Package" in all trims including the Sport. But, that is a US brochure.

The 2015 Order guide shows option code 67B as "BLIS® Plus Inflatable Rear-Seatbelt Package; BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) w/Cross-traffic Alert; Inflatable Rear-Seatbelts, 2nd Row Outboard Seating Positions" without a stand-alone inflatable rear seatbelt option. Again, it's a US order guide.

I don't doubt that there are offerings for the Ford Explorer that allow for the rear inflatable seat belts without BLIS but they aren't obvious in the literature I have.

I sincerely apologize to the OP for using "BLIS" as synonymous with "inflatable rear seatbelts".

I do stand-by my deleted post and I'm sorry that most folks won't get to see it. I am tired of having to frame every post to this form as if it were a legal document just to keep getting snotty, immature replies in return.
 



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I had to go look at my dealer sticker for curiosity. Turns out I was wrong. The rear inflatable seat belts did in fact come as a part of a package that also contained BLIS.

Anyway, I just felt BLIS didn't accurately refer to my issue, which is solely with the rear inflatable seat belts. I didn't want anyone confusing the two should they come across this thread if they too were experiencing an issue with the belts like I have. That's all. No meanspiritedness on my part was ever intended.

Still no word on the belts from my dealer. I almost feel there must be quite a few people that are havin issues, hence the backorder.
 






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