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 Jan 15, 2004
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.
17%
of 162 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.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1992 Ford Escort 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
THE ATOMATIC SEATBELT IS NOT RUNNING IN IT'S TRACK CONTINUOUSLY. IT HAS DECIDED TO WORK WHEN AND IF IT FEELS LIKE IT. THE PAINT STARTED PEELING ON THE TOP OF THE TRUNK IN 1998 OR 99 APPROXIMATELY, I HAVE NEVER HAD THE MONEY TO GET THE PAINT FIXED. I DID HOWEVER GET THE SIDE PAINTED WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 1993. THAT PAINT HAS BUBBLED. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT COST ME, I THINK JUST MY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE AT THAT TIME.
NHTSA ID
10068870
Incident
Nov 15, 2003
Mileage
111,000 mi
BrakesEngineSeat belts
Filed Sep 20, 2002
THE ENGINE HAD CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING. ALSO THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AT TIMES. THE DEALER COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *YH THE SEAT BELTS HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE REAR DISC BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE CABLE IS WORKING, BUT NOT NOT APPLYING PRESSURE, AND THE V/C IS LEAKING. (V/C PER INVOICE) THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE PROBLEM, SEEM TO BE COMING FROM THE IGNITION. *SCC
NHTSA ID
567598
Incident
Aug 26, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jun 4, 2001
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
889672
Seat belts
Filed Jun 1, 2001
BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT. *AK *SLC
NHTSA ID
889542
Incident
Apr 17, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Nov 6, 2000
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS FAILED, CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION . DEALER CLAIMED CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ID
874457
Seat belts
Filed Jul 3, 2000
ABOUT 8 OR 9 MONTHS AGO REAR SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE STOPPED RETRACTING. ALSO, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, REAR SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE STOPPED RETRACTING. BELTS WERE HANGING OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP, AND PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ID
864670
Seat belts
Filed Oct 25, 1999
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THIS WOULD CAUSE INJURY DURING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
NHTSA ID
851620
Incident
Oct 21, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Apr 19, 1999
POOR WORKMANSHIP ON FRONT SEATBELTS. THEY ARE AUTOMATIC, HANG UP IN THE TRACK ALL THE TIME, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. LAP BELT IS ALL THAT WORKS. *AK
NHTSA ID
705761
Seat belts
Filed Mar 8, 1999
A PART ON RETRACTING MECHANISM THE PULLS THE SEAT BELT UP AND DOWN AND AROUND THE OCCUPANT BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
835538
BrakesDriver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Feb 18, 1999
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE EQUIPMENTS: 1.) REAR SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT; 2.) BRAKE LIGHT BUILB WOULD OVERHEAT, CAUSING PARTS TO MELT; AND 3.) VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS OR AT A STOP POSITION. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
NHTSA ID
834978
Incident
Aug 15, 1996
ElectricalInterior & seatsSeat belts+2 more
Filed Feb 5, 1999
MULTIPLE ELETRICAL FAILURES IN INSTRUMENTATION AND PANEL CONTROLS. ABRUPT FAILURE OF DASH LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER CRUCIAL INSTRUMENTATION. ALSO, MULTIPLE FAILURES OF ELECTRICALLY POWERED PASSIVE RESTRAINTS, CONFINING FRONT PASSENGERS IN SEATS WITH INABILITY TO DISABLE RESTRAINT (SHOULDER BELT). MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL FAILURES OF OTHER DASH INSTRUMENTATION/CONTROLS TO INCLUDE HEATING/COOLING/FAN/RADIO AND SIGNALS. IN REGARD TO SECOND COMPONENT, INABILITY TO PROPERLY INSTALL INDEPENDENT CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN RIGHT FRONT (PASSENGER) SEAT, EVEN WITH MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED "LOCKING CLIP" AS BELTS CANNOT BE PROPERLY B SECURED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. *AK
NHTSA ID
702954
Seat belts
Filed Jan 5, 1999
SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED.
NHTSA ID
543219
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Dec 29, 1998
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER
NHTSA ID
701706
Incident
Sep 12, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Oct 22, 1998
AUTOMATIC SEATBELT ON DRIVER SIDE IS JAMMED/STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, WILL NOT MOVE OR RETRACT. COULD CAUSE LOSS OF PROTECTION DURING AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA ID
829319
Incident
Oct 20, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Sep 18, 1998
FRONT RESTRAINTS WILLL NOT RETRACT. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
828030
Seat belts
Filed Jul 16, 1998
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT. BELT IS LOCKED IN ONE POSITION. CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED LOSS OF WIRES, CABLE HANGING FROM THE AUTOMATIC BELT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATES VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
825491
Incident
Jun 20, 1998
Seat belts
Filed May 5, 1998
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT RETRACT. THE DRIVER IS ONLY ABLE TO US THE LAP PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
823071
Incident
Apr 23, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Jan 31, 1997
MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS GET STUCK/CABLE CAME OUT OF THE DOOR.
NHTSA ID
514330
Seat belts
Filed Dec 11, 1996
POOR AUTOMATIC SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT PERFORMANCE. THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM WILL NOT RETRACT PERIODICALLY. *AK
NHTSA ID
804172
Incident
Mar 15, 1996
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Sep 18, 1996
3 injuries reported
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN PASSENGER IN REAR END COLLISION, CAUSING INJURIES, ALSO SEAT LOOSENED UPON IMPACT.
NHTSA ID
508837
Incident
Sep 18, 1992
BrakesSeat belts
Filed Aug 23, 1996
4 injuries reported
SEAT BELTS FAILED IN REAR END COLLISION, CAUSING INJURIES.
NHTSA ID
507863
Incident
Jul 22, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Apr 25, 1996
Crash reported
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT IN HEAD-ON COLLISION. THE SEAT BELTS ARE AUTOMATIC RESTRAINTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NHTSA ID
983490
Incident
Feb 16, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jan 22, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DIDN'T RESTRAIN . TT
NHTSA ID
977912
Incident
Jan 20, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 1995
DRIVERS AUTO SHOULDER/LAP BELT LATCHES FAIL TO ENGAGE OR REMAIN FASTENED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA ID
967052
Incident
Jun 15, 1995
Driver assistanceFuel systemSeat belts+1 more
Filed May 11, 1995
UPPER STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY HAS PLAY; CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER; TOO MUCH PLAY WOULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA ID
965207
Incident
Apr 15, 1992
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