1993 Dodge Grand Caravan Seat belts Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD NOT PULL OUT. THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS WERE VERY LOOSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE MAY BE THE SWITCH THAT IS USED TO DETERMINE IF THE DOOR IS AJAR. HOWEVER, THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10200109

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

Mileage

100,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS, AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A SERVICE DEALER AS WELL AS A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP HAD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO THE ABS FAILING. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 96V099000 WHICH PERTAINED TO THE ANTILOCK SERVICE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 9/20/2006 - THE SEAT BELTS, AIR BAG AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10166860

Incident

Aug 29, 2006

Mileage

142,660 mi

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS FROZEN AND SEAT BELT CANNOT BE WORN. MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT GETTING THE BELT TO LOOSEN UP AND ALL ATTEMPTS FAILED. DEALER TELLS ME THE REPAIR WILL COST $328 TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THE VEHICLE ILLEGALLY AND I'M LAUGHABLY SURPRISED THAT THE NHTSA, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE 13 COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME COMPONENT ISSUE ALREADY FOR THIS MODEL YEAR ALONE, HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL. ARE SEAT BELTS NO LONGER A SAFETY COMPONENT OR CONCERN FOR THE AGENCY THAT FIRST MANDATED THEIR USE? CHRYSLER WILL NOT COVER THIS REPAIR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10133178

Incident

Aug 10, 2005

Mileage

137,000 mi

DRIVER'S LAP BELT WILL NOT LATCH INTO BUCKLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8005825

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED LOCKING SEATBELT. ATTEMPTED TO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AT DEALER. TOLD NO PART AVAILABLE. TOLD JUNK YARD IS ONLY SOLUTION FOR A REPLACEMENT BELT AND RETRACTOR. VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD.*AK

NHTSA ID

758427

Incident

Feb 18, 2002

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, DURING IMPACT THE ANCHOR WHICH ATTACHES THE SEATBELT TO THE FLOOR BECAME UNATTACHED, THIS RESULTED IN FAILURE TO HOLD CHILDS CAR SEAT IN PLACE CAUSING HER TO STRIKE THE FRONT ROW PASSENGER SEAT, THE CHILD SUSTAINED A BLOODY LIP AND BRUISED CHEEK. NLM

NHTSA ID

560689

Incident

Sep 29, 2000

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT GETS STUCK, WORKS RARELY, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER TO LUBRICATE IT. THIS STARTED IN 1994 WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, NOT REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

875593

Incident

Sep 1, 1994

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT HAS BECOME STUCK AND CANNOT BE PULLED OUT TO BE USED.*AK

NHTSA ID

723707

Incident

Jun 6, 2000

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL JAM UP AND NOT ALLOW MOVEMENT. MANY TIMES IT TAKES 5 MIN TO FIGHT THE SEATBELT JUST TO GET IT TO PULL OUT SO THAT IT MAY BE PUT ON. ONCE I GET IT ON, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE AS MUCH AS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO PAY TOLLS ECT. IT TIGHTENS UP AS I DRIVE AND THERE HAVE MANY TIMES WHILE DRIVING I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT OFF BECAUSE IT BECOMES TO TIGHT. THEN I EATHER HAVE TO FIGHT WHILE DRIVING OR PULL OVER AND FIGHT WITH IT TO GET IT BACK OUT SO THAT I MAY COMPLY WITH THE LAW. I NEED TO GET IT IN SOON FOR REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID

721518

Incident

Sep 25, 1999

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT OR RELEASE (TOTALLY INOPERABLE). NLM

NHTSA ID

551437

Incident

Dec 1, 1999

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT STICKS IN THE RETRACTOR AND WILL NOT COME OUT. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES/HOURS OF TUGGING, IT MAY/MAY NOT FREE UP AND PULL OUT. EVEN THEN, IT GENERALLY DOES NOT MOVE FREELY IN AND OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. I PREVIOUSLY HAD TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT WHICH HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AT A COST OF ABOUT $200. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SAFETY RELATED, DODGE WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID

716988

Incident

Dec 20, 1999

THE SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. ALSO, SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE STICKS WHEN PULLING OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. SOMETIMES SEAT BELT TIGHTENS AROUND THE DRIVER FOR NO REASON. PROBLEM WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

854310

Incident

Oct 10, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

716352

Incident

Dec 20, 1999

ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CAN'T USE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE OF SEAT BELT SAFETY LAWS. *AK

NHTSA ID

713992

Incident

Oct 15, 1999

DRIVERS SIDE RESTRAINT WILL NOT PULL OUT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE SEATBELT WOULD NEED REPLACED AT CONSUMERS COST. *SLC

NHTSA ID

825524

Incident

Jul 17, 1998

FALSE LATCHING OCCURRED WHEN THE PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE RECEPTICAL WAS DISPLACED DOWNWARD, ALLOWING BUCKLE TO ENTER THE SPACE BETWEEN PLASTIC HOUSING AND THE LATCH, RATHER THE LATCH ITSELF.

NHTSA ID

534225

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#97V149000). TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. RETRIEVED VEHICLE. CHECKED & NOTICED OLD SEAT PARTS STILL ATTACHED. TOOK BACK TO DEALER, WHO CHECKED & NOTICED OLD PARTS. HAD SERVICE MANAGER REPLACE OLD PARTS WITH NEW ONES BEFORE VEHICLE LEFT DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID

822169

Incident

Feb 18, 1998

ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THE RETRACTOR NO LONGER WORKS. ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE THE RETRACTOR LOCKS UP, AND AT TIMES THE RETRACTOR DOESN'T WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID

821749

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT TIGHTENED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED.

NHTSA ID

528270

MIDDLE SEAT BELT OCCASIONALLY UNLATCHES, AND IT IS HARD TO REPOSITION SEAT BELT. OWNER INSISTED UPON REPLACING ENTIRE SEAT BELT FOR $ 200. *AK

NHTSA ID

523009

THE SEAT BELT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR, AND WILL NOT COME OUT AT ALL. THE SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

819387

Incident

Jul 7, 1997

THE BELT RETRACTS AND WON'T A;LLOW DRIVER TO PULL IT OUT. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE CAN PULL IT OUT, AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO BEING STUCK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

816796

Incident

Sep 12, 1997

SEAT BELT FAILED 3 TIMES IN TWO SMALL IMPACT CRASHES TO RELEASE, RESULTING IN SEVERE CHEST/NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES. DRIVER HAD TO BE MANUALLY REMOVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

526247

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

RIGHT/REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DISCONNECTED FROM ANCHOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

518928

Incident

Aug 1, 1996

IDLER PULLEY BLEW APART.

NHTSA ID

603451

Incident

Sep 10, 1994