Louisiana woman says her son’s seatbelt locked around him with a noise like a rifle shot, days before she got a Ford recall notice

A woman in Louisiana says a normal drive home turned frightening when she heard a loud bang and then found her son trapped by his seatbelt. According to the video shared on TikTok, the seatbelt tightened around him and would not let go.

Cassie (@bird_and_bear), whose TikTok profile describes her as an artist and children’s book author based in Louisiana, shared what she says happened during a recent drive with her 19-year-old son. She says the experience changed how she feels about her Ford Expedition.

Cassie says she drives a Ford Expedition Limited Stealth Edition that she loves and has nicknamed Charlotte. “This video is for Ford,” she says in her video. As of this writing, her video has more than 560,000 views.

The seatbelt locked before a recall letter arrived from Ford

Cassie says she was driving with her son in the passenger seat when she suddenly heard a noise near the front of her vehicle. She describes the sound as being like a rifle going off, saying, “I thought we’d been shot,” and that the noise “rocked the whole vehicle.”

When she looked over at her son, Cassie says he was “plastered against the seat” because his seatbelt had tightened around him and would not release. She says the seatbelt was cutting into him and had snatched him against the seat.

Cassie says she reached across to undo the latch but could not get it open at first. According to her, she eventually freed him without cutting the seatbelt, though she says she was about to use her knife to cut him loose. She says the seatbelt no longer works afterward, because it will not retract or extend.

Cassie says she then received a letter from Ford about a seatbelt recall. “Turns out there’s a recall,” she says. According to her, she contacted the dealership to have it fixed, but was told there was no solution available yet, and that a fix may not be ready until September.

Cassie says the letter stated there was no solution available at the time. “What am I supposed to do?” she asks in the video. She also asks, “What if my kid had been hurt?” and questions whether the SUV is even safe to drive.

In her video, Cassie also wonders aloud what she is supposed to do between June and September if a solution is not ready. She also raises questions about whether the issue could affect the airbags on the passenger or driver’s side.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford recalled nearly 420,000 vehicles, including certain 2018 to 2022 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator models, because the driver or front passenger seatbelt pretensioner may accidentally lock. When that happens, the seatbelt may no longer retract or extend properly.

The agency warned that a seatbelt that does not work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. According to NHTSA documents and Ford, the recalled parts may activate when they are not supposed to, which can leave the belt locked.

Ford’s fix involves having dealerships inspect the seatbelt retractors and, if needed, replace them at no cost to owners, according to Reuters. Owners can check whether their vehicle is affected by entering their VIN into NHTSA’s recall lookup tool or through Ford’s website. Other drivers have faced very different problems on the road, including one neighbor who warned about driving on a lawn.

Ford says owners can still drive their vehicles if the seatbelts are working normally. However, the company says that if a seatbelt does not pull out, retract, or latch correctly, drivers should contact their dealership before continuing to use that seat.

According to CBS News, Ford said it expected to send owner notification letters in June, though remedy parts were not immediately available when the recall was filed. A second notice is reportedly expected once the repair is ready, likely in August.

Viewers in the comments shared Cassie’s frustration, with some debating what they would do in her position. One commenter wrote, “Quality is in fact not job one.” Another commenter described their own experience with the same model, writing, “Ford is definitely not what it used to be. I had to contact a lawyer when I had my expedition. Ended up getting rid of it for a Toyota.” Others pointed to the legal requirement around seatbelts, with one person writing, “Seatbelts are the law! Another ride or a lawsuit, Ford! Pick one!!” Vehicle incidents can take dramatic turns, as seen when a handcuffed man took off in a police car.