Seatbelt extenders

[duneslider]

that might be possible but i'm guessing you'd have to defeat the circuits that are used to diagnostically test it. I'm betting it would throw CEL's and might have other consequences.

Yes, but I would assume there would be a way to do that in the software but again that would probably have to be a ford thing, not a diy thing. Also, I am not certain if that is even a possibility, just and idea.

 

[Tom Brennan]

I am concerned about screwing with the diagnostics and warning lights etc.

 

[SunnySunshine]

Apparently they have an airbag built into the belts based on one site I’ve researched which complicates things.

They do?! Just out of curiosity, would it screw with things if I buckle the seatbelt on a backpack? I enjoy doing that in our family's current SUV because I don't want my camera bag to fly forward in case of a sudden stop. Would that get affected making the system think there is a passenger in the seat? We're picking up our new Expedition sometime in April.

 

[Fizzy]

They do?! Just out of curiosity, would it screw with things if I buckle the seatbelt on a backpack? I enjoy doing that in our family's current SUV because I don't want my camera bag to fly forward in case of a sudden stop. Would that get affected making the system think there is a passenger in the seat? We're picking up our new Expedition sometime in April.

Certain trims do - Platinum for sure.

Depends on how the logic has been programmed for these airbag seatbelts. None of us can test this non-destructively. Only the Ford engineers know for sure.

If I had to hazard a guess, the risk of not firing the airbag for a belt that is buckled, is greater than the risk of not firing the airbag. If the belt is buckled you have to assume worst case, and that a passenger is seated there. And so airbag would win. Now, do those captain chairs have weight sensors in them like the front seats - not sure. And even if they did, the risk is too great to not fire the airbag.

Put your bag in the footwell or trunk like everyone else?