Should I buy a 2017 Ford Mustang with documented seatbelts problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented seatbelts issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2017 Ford Mustang seatbelts problems

moderate Owners of the 2017 Ford Mustang have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the seatbelts at roughly $500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See seatbelts across all vehicles →

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$500

seatbelts complaints on the Ford Mustang, by model year
Model year	seatbelts complaints
2013 Mustang	3
2015 Mustang	7
2016 Mustang	8
2017 Mustang (this page)	16

What stands out

Of the 5 model years of Ford Mustang we track for seatbelts problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 16.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 25V614000 September 12, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles

A corroded cable can break, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining an occupant, and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace both front seat belt anchor pretensioner assemblies, as necessary. In addition, dealers will remove sections of the carpet and underlayment that contact the cables. Dealers will also inspect the A-pillar sealing patches, and as necessary, install A-pillar body plugs, and/or inspect and replace the front outboard seat bolts. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed October 20, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S92. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov September 17, 2025.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering seatbelts on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.

Service Bulletin 24H02 Oct 2024

This is a proactive investigation program by Ford Motor Company to obtain field parts for evaluation. Ford is voluntarily conducting this program to evaluate the field performance and functionality of the obtained front seat belt retractor assemblies. Parts obtained from the program must be returned to Ford for evaluation.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin SSM 46102 Sep 2016

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. This may be due to a normal condition which happens when the seatbelt retracts at a high rate of speed. The Workshop Manual, Section 501-20A General Procedures has been updated with a locked seatbelt retractor releasing procedure.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

The failure pattern owners describe

Complaints break into two groups: the ongoing recall supply issue, and actual seat belt failures independent of that recall.

The dominant issue is NHTSA Campaign 25V614000 (Seat Belts). Multiple owners received recall notices but have waited 8 months to over a year without parts becoming available at dealers. They report being told parts are on back order, with no clear timeline for remedy. Several owners expressed frustration that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable timeframe for completing a safety-related recall.

Separate from the recall hold-up, owners report functional seat belt problems. One owner at 50,000 miles found the driver's and passenger's side belts failed to retract after removal and did not remain securely tightened while driving; an independent mechanic recommended replacement. Another owner reported a seat belt anchor detaching from the vehicle at 67,000 miles; a dealer diagnosed the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. One owner stated a dealer removed a seat belt base during maintenance and did not reinstall it properly, leaving the belt inoperable. A single complaint mentioned seat belt cable rust causing cable failure under normal operation. These are unverified consumer allegations, but they suggest the belt assembly itself may have durability concerns beyond parts scarcity.

Failure modes owners describe

Seat belt fails to retract after removal

Seat belt does not return to fully retracted position after being unbuckled.

When: 50,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: belt remains extended after removal; belt fails to automatically retract

Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic stated driver's and passenger's side seat belts required replacement; dealers reported parts on back order

Seat belt insufficient tension/tightness

Seat belt does not provide adequate tension or remain securely tightened during operation.

When: 50,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: seat belt not as securely tightened as needed while driving

Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic recommended replacement of driver's and passenger's side seat belts

Seat belt anchor detachment

Seat belt anchor point separates or detaches from vehicle structure.

When: 67,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: seat belt anchor detached from vehicle; no warning lights illuminated

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed failure with seat belt anchor but vehicle was not repaired

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer referred contact to NHTSA Hotline; vehicle was not repaired

Seat belt anchor removed by dealership; unable to use seat belt

After taking vehicle for maintenance, dealership removed seat belt base/anchor without authorization or proper reassembly, leaving seat belt inoperable.

When: <UNKNOWN>

Symptoms owners cite: seat belt base/anchor removed; seat belt unable to be used; no communication from dealership regarding resolution

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership removed seat belt base and promised callback but did not follow up

Seat belt cable rust and failure

Seat belt cable corroded and failed under normal operation.

When: <UNKNOWN>

Symptoms owners cite: seat belt cable rusted; cable failure under normal operation

Recall 25V614000 (Seat Belts) remedy parts unavailable

NHTSA recall campaign 25V614000 issued but replacement parts not supplied by manufacturer for extended periods (8+ months to over 1 year reported), preventing owners from completing recall repairs.

When: Recall issued; failure to remedy 8+ months to over 1 year

Symptoms owners cite: recall parts on back order; extended wait times for parts; inability to complete recall repair; owners unable to safely operate vehicle pending repair

Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealers and dealerships reported parts unavailable; owners unable to obtain replacement seat belt components despite multiple contacts with dealers

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 25V614000 (Seat Belts); manufacturer notified some owners but referred to NHTSA Hotline; parts not made available within reasonable timeframe

Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 2 most recent

seatbelts · filed 11/22/2025

While backing up my rear view camera finally went completely out. I have 3 recalls and it's been way over a year or better all I keep getting is notices that they don't have my parts. Over a year really. Can you help me get my car fixed? I have 4 small grandchildren age 1-9 which 2 of them I pick up daily. I want to make sure I do everything I can to keep them safe. If I was a year late on my car…

seatbelts · filed 11/19/2025

See attached document for complaint. There has been no attention paid to this matter. As a result, injuries or death may occur.

Had seatbelts trouble with your 2017 Ford Mustang? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.

Common questions

How serious is the seatbelts problem on the 2017 Ford Mustang?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 16 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the seatbelts typically fail?

Based on the 16 complaints filed, seatbelts issues most often appear around 103,800 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $500 for seatbelts repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to seatbelts?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover seatbelts issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Ford/Mustang. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.