Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
20
Latest Jan 30, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 545 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming seat belt
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AirbagsElectricalOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Jan 30, 2009
Crash reported2 injuries reported
ME AND A FRIEND WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT .WHEN WE LOST CONTROL OF MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AND HIT THE SIDE OF A BUILDING AT 40-45 MPH WHEN WE HIT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO IN RESULT WE BOUNCED OR FACES AND HEADS OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH BOARD AND NOW HAVING HEAD NECK AND BACK PROBLEMS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10256998
Incident
Jan 26, 2009
Mileage
134,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 1, 2005
SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONS
NHTSA ID
10127245
Incident
May 14, 2002
Mileage
62,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 20, 2004
I BOUGHT MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF KNOWING THAT I HAD SELECTED A SAFE, COMFORTABLE, RELIABLE CAR. HOWEVER, THAT PERCEPTION WAS GONE THIS MORNING WHEN I FOUND THE WEBSITE CALLED WWW.UNSAFEBELTS.COM . *AK I AM APPALLED (YET NOT SURPRISED, QUITE HONESTLY) TO LEARN THAT CHRYSLER IS KNOWINGLY ALLOWING MANY PEOPLE TO DRIVE THEIR CARS WITH SEATBELTS THAT ARE NOT ADEQUATE OR RELIABLE. I AM MORE SHOCKED THAT NHTSA AND OTHER GROUPS LIKE IT ARE NOT LOBBYING FOR SAFER BELTS. AS THE OTHER OWNER OF MY CAR DRIVES THE VEHICLE AT LEAST 20 HOURS PER WEEK, I AM SHOCKED AND SADDENED BY THIS INACTION. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR A RECALL OF THESE BELTS. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR TODAY AND REQUESTING REPLACEMENTS FOR MY SEAT BELTS. I WILL ALSO BE ASKING CHRYSLER TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA ID
10054493
Incident
Jan 20, 2004
BrakesElectricalSeat belts+2 more
Filed Oct 30, 2003
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. 2 MONTHS AFTER 8/98 PURCHASE DATE, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, THE MAP SENSOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE SEAT BELTS COME OFF ENTIRELY TOO EASY. ALL OF THIS AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT. I SENT ARBITRATION PAPERS TO CHRYSLER TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE. *LA
NHTSA ID
10045118
Incident
Oct 10, 1998
Mileage
300 mi
Seat belts
Filed Sep 27, 2002
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT NOT STAYING LATCHED. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
NHTSA ID
8019729
Incident
Mar 15, 2002
Seat belts
Filed May 4, 2001
CONSUMER'S SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER SIDE WASN'T RETRACTING ONCE IT HAS BEEN PULLED TO SECURE OCCUPANT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND THERE WAS ONLY A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR SEAT BELTS. NO RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED.*AK
NHTSA ID
887450
Incident
Mar 1, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 2000
THE SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOES NOT LOCK. THE BELT WOULD NOT RESTRAINT THE OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED, BUT BELT SEEMS TO BE DOING THE SAME THING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
855915
Incident
Dec 12, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Nov 4, 1999
THE DRIVER SEATBELT WOULD NOT RETRACT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURED. DEALER REPLACED DRIVER SEATBELT ON TWO OCCASIONS. *YC
NHTSA ID
852583
Incident
Oct 25, 1999
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Oct 8, 1999
PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT LOCK PASSENGER IN PLACE IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM, REPLACED THE BELT ONE TIME. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A SECOND REPLACEMENT. REAR BRAKES ONLY WORE OUT AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. 5,000 MILES PRIOR THEY HAD BEEN CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED TO BE "LINE NEW". FRONT BRAKES ARE STILL FINE AT 48,000 MILES.
NHTSA ID
713005
Seat belts
Filed Aug 17, 1999
1 injury reported
SEAT HINGE TORE FLESH OFF MY COUSINS LEFT INDEX FINGER TO THE BONE. HE NEEDED TO GET 7 STITCHES
NHTSA ID
710106
Incident
Aug 13, 1999
BrakesSeat beltsSuspension+2 more
Filed Jun 2, 1999
DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTACTED NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OVER PAST 7+ MONTHS WITH EITHER NO RESPONSE OR EXTREMELY SLOW RESPONSE. TANSMISSION/BRAKES/SHOCKS/TIRES, AND SEAT BELTS, NOT REPAIRED TO DATE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235 75R15 )
NHTSA ID
707138
Incident
Dec 10, 1998
Seat belts
Filed May 14, 1999
THE BOLT THAT HAD BEEN SECURING THE SHOULDER ANCHOR OF THE SEAT BELT TO THE FRAME WORKED ITS WAY LOOSE ALLOWING THE ANCHOR TO DISENGAGE FROM THE FRAME. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK *ML
NHTSA ID
837942
Incident
May 9, 1999
Body & structureElectricalSeat belts+1 more
Filed Apr 9, 1999
FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RESTRAIN AND LOCK UP WHEN VEHICLE STOPS.
NHTSA ID
544963
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Mar 8, 1999
WINDSHIELD HAS MANUFACTURE DEFECTS. OPTICAL DISTORTIONS APPEAR IN MULTIPLE, IF NOT THE ENTIRE WINDSHEILD. DEALER DISCRIBED THEM AS NORMAL AND THAT EVERY OTHER WINDSHIELD IN THE DAKOTA AND DURANGO LINE HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS...ER CHARACTER. I WAS ASKED TO GET USE TO THE DISTORTION, BUT CANNOT. MY PROBLEM WITH VISABILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD HAS CAUSED MISJUDGEMENTS IN SIGN LEGIBILITY, DISTANCE/PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND SOMETIMES RESULTED IN EYESTRAIN LEADING TO HEADACHES.
NHTSA ID
704174
Incident
Aug 10, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Feb 22, 1999
PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO ENGAGE CATCH MECHANISM WHEN PULLED SHARPLY. *AK
NHTSA ID
703596
Incident
Feb 20, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Apr 11, 1998
SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS WHEN PULLING UBRUPTLY ON THE BELT. PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT LOCK NO MATTER HOW HARD CONSUMER PULLS.
NHTSA ID
534146
Seat belts
Filed Feb 24, 1998
SEAT BELTS FAILED.
NHTSA ID
531288
Seat belts
Filed Jan 27, 1998
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID A VEHICLE COLLISION THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. *AK
NHTSA ID
820138
Seat belts
Filed Jan 21, 1998
SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN PROPERLY DURING COLLISION.
NHTSA ID
528649
Incident
Dec 1, 1997
Seat belts
Filed Jan 13, 1998
CONSUMER WAS NEARLY INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
820592
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own