1998 Ford Escort Seat belts Problems

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD ESCORT LX ON A 35 MPH ROAD WHEN THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF HIM SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. MY SON IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STOP THE CAR, BUT HE REAR-ENDED THE OTHER CAR BEFORE HE COULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DURING THE IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE AND THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY - ALLOWING MY SON'S UPPER BODY TO CONTINUE FORWARD UNTIL HIS FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE LAP BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, HOLDING MY SON'S LOWER BODY IN PLACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247134

Incident

Oct 24, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT THAT DID NOT PREVENT THEM FROM BEING THROWN TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND INJURED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND FACE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND THE FRONT BUMPER, BUMPER SUPPORT, RADIATOR AND SUPPORT, AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER, AND POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WERE DAMAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81,756.

NHTSA ID

10239844

Incident

Aug 1, 2008

Mileage

81,756 mi

DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE SEAT BELT STRAPS WILL NOT PULL OUT FROM THE SEAT, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THIS WAS IN JUNE OF 2004. AND ON 7-25-05 THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HER THE SAME THING. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2002. BUT, IT WAS JUST A FENDER BENDER TYPE ISSUE. NO ONE WAS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10130856

Incident

Jul 25, 2005

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10115186

Incident

Mar 10, 2005

REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS ARE UNABLE TO RETRACT. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SEATS ARE NOT BEING RESTRAINT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10076180

Incident

Jun 14, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AS YOU ARE DRIVING THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL DROP DOWN. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND MADE COMMENT OF THIS TO WHICH I WAS TOLD I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS AND MILES, IS THAT THE SEATBELT STRAP AT THE LAP CAN CATCH ON THE RELEASE LEVER OF THE SEAT AND ANY SHIFTING IN POSITION WILL PULL ON THE LEVER AND RELEASE THE SEAT BACK. THIS IS JUST A WARNING TO OTHERS AS IT CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT AS IT CATCHES THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER OFF GUARD WHEN THE BACK OF YOUR SEAT FALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10070873

Incident

Jul 15, 1998

VEHICLE'S REAR SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKING IN THE RETRACT POSITION AND WOULDN'T RELEASE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO PROPERLY RETRAIN CHILDREN IN CSS. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN ORDER THE CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10031584

Mileage

92,000 mi

GRACO 8442 CYP CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *MR PH

NHTSA ID

10024186

WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED HER DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CHILD INTERGRATED CAR SEAT, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE STRAP HAD SEPARATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018285

Incident

May 6, 2003

CHOOSING CHILD SAFETY SEAT ON THE MENU BROUGHT ME TO THIS FORM...ANYWAY, CHILD SAFETY SEATS THAT DO NOT HAVE A MEANS TO ADJUST THE STRAPS WITHOUT REMOVING THE SAFETY SEAT FROM THE VEHICLE ARE UNSAFE. MANY PARENTS WILL JUST PUT THEIR CHILD IN THINKING THE SEAT IS SAFELY INSTALLED AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT PROPER STRAP ADJUSTMENT IS A MAJOR PART OF THE CHILD'S SAFETY. I RECOMMEND A RECALL ON ALL SEATS THAT DON'T HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT LEVER AT THE FRONT OF THE SEAT. THIS TIME OF YEAR IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS, WHEN THE WEATHER ONE DAY WILL REQUIRE A WINTER COAT AND THE WEATHER THE NEXT IS SUMMER LIKE. AN EXAMPLE OF AN UNSAFE SEAT IS THE COSCO VENTURA. AN EXAMPLE OF A SAFE SEAT IS THE CENTURY BREVVERA.*AK

NHTSA ID

761617

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT IS GOES UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. BELT IS STUCK HALF WAY BECAUSE IT IS OFF THE TRACK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8000754

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

SEATBELT RETRACTORS IN THE BACK OF VEHICLE CONTINUALLY TIGHTEN, AND WILL NOT ALLOW FOR CONSUMER TO LEAN OR MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER HAS TO RELEASE BUCKLE AND REATTACH BUCKLE IN ORDER HAVE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

888761

Incident

May 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE HIT POLE, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBELTS DID NOT WORK, DRIVER AND PASSENGER HIT THEIR HEADS ON WINDSHIELD. *AK

NHTSA ID

883039

Incident

Mar 11, 2001

WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A TURN ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON RIGHT SIDE. DASHBOARD CRACKED, BUT NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

880622

Incident

Jan 19, 2001

DRIVER/PASSENGER HEADRESTS HAVE STAPLES AT BOTTOM & THEY ARE COMING OUT. PART OF HEADREST IS SEWN. BOTTOM OF HEADREST IS NOT COMING APART EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOSING STAPLES. HAVE NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. HAD CONTACTED DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED TO BRING VEHICLE IN TO BE CHECKED. TOOK VEHICLE A FEW MONTHS LATER, AND REPRESENTATIVE CHECKED IT OUT. TOOK DOWN SOME INFORMATION & NOTHING ELSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

877273

CAR "TOTALED" IN REAR-END WRECK. PASSENGER SEATBACK COLLAPSED WHEN HIT FROM REAR, HARD CONTACT WITH 3-POINT SEAT BELTS WHEN THROWN FORWARD WHEN CAR CRASHED INTO VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT. GOT RIDE TO HOSPITAL IN AMBULANCE! DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK DID NOT COLLAPSE, DRIVER OKAY.

NHTSA ID

736255

Incident

Nov 12, 2000

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE SPINNED OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE BY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. BEFORE THE IMPACT, CONSUMER NOTICED SPEED OF 50 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE, AND AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER. NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

834165

Incident

Jan 18, 1999

SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT FROM THE DOOR. *YC

NHTSA ID

607547

OWNER TALL; HEADREST DOES NOT COME UP TO MEET HEAD, REACHES NECK AREA ONLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

829224

Incident

Sep 30, 1998

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG DURING A COLLISION. ALSO DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. ENTIRE FRONT PART OF VEHICLE WA SCRUSHED WHEN VEHICLE HIT A POLE.

NHTSA ID

538329

Incident

Jul 14, 1998

WHILE TURNING AT 15 TO 20 MPH VEHICLE WAS STRUCK AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSEGERS SIDE AIRBAGS. ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT. *AK

NHTSA ID

822366

Incident

Apr 9, 1998