RoadVitals

1988 Ford Aerostar Seat belts Problems

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.
28
Latest Dec 6, 2000
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.
16%
of 177 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.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Ford Aerostar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 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

The 25 most recent of 28, in the owner's own words

Browse every complaint
Seat belts
Filed Dec 6, 2000

SEAT BELT CONECTOR ON DRIVERS SIDE . PUTTON RELEASE IS FROZEN . WILL NOT LOCK BELT ON .*AK

NHTSA ID
737377
Incident
Nov 19, 2000
Seat belts
Filed May 22, 2000

FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
552332
Seat belts
Filed Aug 31, 1999

THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER BELTS IN THE REAR SEATS. I HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD SON THAT IS QUICKLY OUTGROWING HIS SAFETY SEAT. (A CENTURY MODEL THAT FITS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 2ND SEAT POSITION AND IS RESTRAINED BY A LAP BELT). I HAVE PURCHASED A HIGH BACK BOOSTER SEAT (AGAIN A CENTURY) THAT LIKE ALL OF THE HIGH BACKED BOOSTER SEATS I HAVE SEEN, REQUIRE THE USE OF A LAP AND SHOULDER BELT. I HAVE TRIED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT INSTALLING AFTERMARKET SHOULDER STRAPS FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. FIRST I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF MY LOCAL DEALER (BIG VALLEY FORD, STOCKTON CA). THE PERSON I SPOKE TO IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT WAS CLUELESS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE AND PROVIDED NO SUGGESTIONS. NEXT I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY THROUGH ITS OWNER CONNECTION @ HTTP://WWW.OWNERCONNECTION.COM/FORMSLOGIN.ASP?/HOME/HOME.ASP?. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO SPEAK TO MY LOCAL DEALER. I RESPONDED THAT I HAD TRIED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THAT THEY HAD BEEN OF NO HELP. THEY AGAIN REFERRED ME TO MY LOCAL DEALER. NEXT I VISITED THE LOCAL DEALER. I SPOKE TO A CUSTOMER REP IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT "IF IT IS NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, WE DO NOT TOUCH IT." I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB FOR HELP BUT CAN NOT FIND ANY. I FOUND A SITE (HTTP://WWW.CHILDSAFETY.ORG/FORD/01.20.98.HTML) THAT LISTS REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELT ACCESSORY KITS BY FORD, BUT THEY DO NOT INCLUDE THE AEROSTAR. CAN YOU HELP ME? IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAFELY INSTALL A SHOULDER STRAP IN THE 2ND SEAT OF THIS VAN? IF SO, WHERE CAN I OBTAIN THE CORRECT BELT AND HARDWARE AND INSTRUCTIONS ON INSTALLATION? I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL UNIVERSAL BELTS ON THE WEB, BUT NONE THAT COME WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. THAT MAKES ME WEARY OF THEIR PRODUCTS. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID
710724
Seat belts
Filed Apr 27, 1999

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE AND THE SEATBELT SYSTEM DOES NOT RETRACT WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
837126
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Apr 14, 1999

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH, SPRING BROKEN IN FEMALE PART, IF YOU DO MANAGE TO GET IT HOOKED IT WILL RELEASE WITH THE SLIGHTEST TENSION. PRIOR TO THIS SEATBELT ALSO HAD SLACK WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST IT WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

NHTSA ID
705614
Incident
Mar 1, 1999
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Dec 6, 1996

BROKEN SPRING IN SEAT BELT BUCKLE CLASP. *AK

NHTSA ID
508810
Incident
Sep 6, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Sep 4, 1996

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
508226
Incident
Jun 1, 1993
Seat belts
Filed Aug 20, 1996

FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY ENGAGED IN THE BUCKLE, PE94-025. *AK

NHTSA ID
987105
Incident
Apr 21, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jul 1, 1996

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT RESTRAIN AT ALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986355
Incident
Jun 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 11, 1996

SEAT BELT BROKE. *SD

NHTSA ID
504329
Incident
May 11, 1996
BrakesElectricalEngine+4 more
Filed May 6, 1996

BRAKES LEAK FLUID. *DSH

NHTSA ID
504271
Incident
Feb 11, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Apr 17, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

FRONT SHOULDER/LAP BELTS AND REAR LAP BELTS DO NOT LOCK UP AS INTENDED; VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT; OCCUPANTS WERE NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED. *AK

NHTSA ID
982887
Incident
Feb 29, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Mar 20, 1996

SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED. *SD

NHTSA ID
502677
Incident
Mar 20, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Mar 13, 1996

EA94-025 ACTIVE, DRIVER SIDE BUCKLE WILL NOT FASTEN PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
980671
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Feb 21, 1996

RELEASED BUTTON ON DRIVERS SEAT BELT TENSIONER LOOSE, RENDERING SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
979445
Incident
Feb 19, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jan 2, 1996

DRIVER SEATBELT BUCKLE BROKE, WILL NOT LATCH. TT

NHTSA ID
977228
Incident
Dec 11, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Nov 3, 1995

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE, DIFFICULTY LATCHING SEAT BELT. TT *JB

NHTSA ID
974525
Incident
Nov 1, 1993
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Oct 10, 1995

THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN CAR WILL NOT LOCK AND THE RETRACTOR WON'T RETRACT BACK . TT

NHTSA ID
973133
Seat belts
Filed Oct 5, 1995

PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEATBELT BUCKLE COMES UNLATCHED WITH THE LEAST MOVEMENT. TT

NHTSA ID
973021
Incident
May 1, 1993
Seat belts
Filed Jun 30, 1995

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILS TO LATCH DUE TO SPRING INSIDE BUCKLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID
968032
Seat belts
Filed Jun 23, 1995

SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON DRIVER POPS OPEN WITH WARNING, SPRING FAILURE EA94-025 ACTIVE. TT

NHTSA ID
967590
Incident
Jun 1, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 19, 1995

DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH. TT

NHTSA ID
967203
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 1995

LATCH ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER BUCKLE BROKE. TT

NHTSA ID
967104
Incident
Jun 15, 1994
Seat belts
Filed Jun 13, 1995

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN. TT

NHTSA ID
966707
Seat belts
Filed May 23, 1995

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOOSENS , AND WILL NOT TIGHTEN UNTIL THE DOOR IS OPENED. TT

NHTSA ID
965756
Incident
May 21, 1995

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

Fuel system53Electrical43Engine13Transmission12Interior & seats12Brakes9Body & structure8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .