RoadVitals

2003 Ford Mustang 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.
16
Latest Mar 3, 2025
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.
11%
of 145 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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

Seat belts
Filed Mar 3, 2025

The Belt Strap will get twists along the length. The Body Pillar clip refuses free movement. This is aggrevating for a Driver in the Seat. Driver in vain pushes Power Seat back to allow the Belt to clip into Latch at the Console. Reality. The car is 22-yrs old. Owner expects indifference by the local Ford shop. Both a neighbor & the Owner had a hard time about service. What does the Owner thinks a good solution? Late Model Restoration is this Model's best parts hope. A indy-body shop near the home of the car a repair alternative. Owner is [XXX] in a [XXX] & uses the Car as a Daily Driver. May be able to upload images of the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11645931
Incident
Mar 3, 2025
Seat belts
Filed Jul 6, 2017

SEAT BELTS BOTH SIDES NEVER WORKED TO THIS DAYY. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM.THE BELT S WILL NOT RETRACT INTO THE HOLDER BELTS LAY DOWN GET STUCK IN DOOR AND DANGLE OUT SIDE CAR

NHTSA ID
11003461
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Mileage
26 mi
Seat belts
Filed Sep 10, 2015

BOTH THE FRONT SEATBELTS WILL NOT RETRACT, WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. THIS RESULTS IN DRIVING WITH THE BELT VERY SLACK OVER THE CHEST AND LAP. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THIS SLACK WILL PERMIT INJURY. I HAVE LOOKED OVER YOUR DATABASE OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, AND THIS EXACT DEFECT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED TIME AFTER TIME, WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY BY FORD MOTOR CO.. I KNOW YOUR "STANDARD BOILER-PLATE RESPONSE" IS THAT FORD'S NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS SAFETY, BUT WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE THIS OBVIOUS, CONTINUING DEFECT, YEAR AFTER YEAR? IS SAFETY IMPORTANT, OR NOT?

NHTSA ID
10762960
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Seat belts
Filed Mar 7, 2015

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NEITHER RETRACT OR EXTEND TO A USABLE LENGTH . ONLINE I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. MY LOCAL DEALER WANTS $287.00 PLUS LABOR OF APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS TO REPAIR AND FROM WHAT I'M SEEING THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL BE FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10692684
Incident
Mar 2, 2015
Mileage
143,000 mi
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Feb 1, 2015

ALL 4 SEAT BELTS HAVE OPERATIONAL ISSUES. PASSENGER SEAT BELT FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT. DRIVER SIDE SEMI FUNCTIONAL WILL NOT RETRACT FULLY. BOTH REAR DIFFICULT TO RETRACT. CLEAR COAT ON FRONT BUMPER AND SPOILER COMING OFF IN SHEETS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10680390
Incident
May 4, 2012
Mileage
80,000 mi
Exterior lightingSeat belts
Filed May 2, 2014

PASSENGER SEAT BELT STARTED STICKING AND BEING HARD TO PULL OUT IN 2005, I TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP THEY STATED IT WAS OK, I HARDLY USED THAT PASSENGER SEATBELT BECAUSE I USUALLY DRIVE ALONE. IN 2009 IT GOT STUCK IN THE HOLDER AND I COULD NOT PULL IT OUT, AT THAT POINT THE FORD DEALERSHIP WANTED OVER $300.00 TO REPLACE THEIR ALREADY DEFECTED SEATBELT. I CHECKED JUNKYARDS IN THREE DIFFERENT STATES AND ALL THE 2003 FORD MUSTANG PASSENGER SEATBELTS WAS BROKEN. MY HEADLIGHT COVER IS MADE OF SOME SORT OF SUBSTANDARD PLASTIC THAT FOGGED UP AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE CLEARLY AND PLUS IT CAUSES MY CAR TO FAILS INSPECTION. FORD DEALERSHIP REQUESTED THAT I PAY THEM OVER $600.00 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS WITH MORE DETECTED HEADLIGHT. I CALL FORD HEADQUARTER TO NO AVAIL. HEADLIGHTS AND SEATBELT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TOOLS FOR SAFETY ON THE ROAD AND AS LONG AS THE CAR MANUFACTURER CAN GET AWAY WITH WEIGHTING THE ODDS* WITH PEOPLE LIVES WE ARE ALL IN DANGER!!!!! * ANALYZING IF IT IS CHEATER TO RECALL VEHICLES OR TO PAID THE LAWSUITS IN THE EVENT OF INJURIES OR DEATHS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10586103
Incident
May 1, 2009
Mileage
15,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Mar 15, 2014

THE SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT WILL NOT RETRACT. WENT TO THE JUNK YARD AND EVERY CAR I FOUND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THEM. YOUR OLDEST SEAT BELTS ON OTHER CARS STILL WORK. SO WHY WOULDN'T THESE STILL WORK?? IT IS A BIG SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY NEW ONES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10572596
Incident
Jan 3, 2011
Seat belts
Filed Dec 19, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED. THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACT AND WOULD BECOME STUCK AND/OR TWISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,066 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,703.

NHTSA ID
10489248
Incident
Aug 23, 2005
Mileage
9,066 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 18, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED . THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10455696
Incident
Dec 1, 2010
Mileage
60,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 17, 2012

MY PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT AT ALL. THE BELT IS NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO SIT IN. PLUS MY DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT GO BACK AND ALWAYS SLAMS IN MY CAR DOOR. I SEE MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH 2003 MUSTANGS ONLINE EVERYWHERE AND FORD TOLD ME ITS MY PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY TOO WITH THIS PRODUCT. HOW CAN FORD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH FAULTY PRODUCT AND DOES IT TAKE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH TO FIX THIS? OR CAN WE BE PREACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE. JUST LOOK AROUND AND YOU WILL FIND MORE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH FORD MUSTANGS! PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10444040
Incident
Nov 1, 2008
Seat belts
Filed Oct 19, 2011

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT ON ITS OWN. YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY MESS WITH IT TO GET IT TO RETRACT. SOMETIMES IT HAS A DIFFICULT TIME OF PULLING IT OUT TO BUCKLE. ALTHOUGH STILL OPERABLE, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10430775
Incident
Sep 1, 2011
Seat belts
Filed Sep 5, 2011

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE - WILL NOT RETRACT OR COME OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10423258
Incident
Sep 5, 2011
Mileage
70,850 mi
Seat belts
Filed May 9, 2010

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT CONTINUALLY LOCKS UP. SEATBELT IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE RIGHT NOW AND WILL NOT RETRACT OR COME OUT. ASKED FORD ABOUT THE VOLUNTARY RECALL I HAD SEEN ELSEWHERE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NONE AND PARTS WERE $300 TO FIX AND TWO HOURS OF LABOR TO INSTALL AND WOULD CARRY A 12 MONTH/12,000 MILE WARRANTY. TOLD THEM THAT SEAT BELTS WERE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AT. RECEIVED A SEATBELT VIOLATION TICKET ON THE WAY HOME AND SINCE HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE VEHICLE WITH A PASSENGER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10329467
Incident
Apr 15, 2010
Mileage
78,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 13, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR WAS INOPERATIVE. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WEBBING FAILED TO EXTRACT WHENEVER WORN BY AN OCCUPANT. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10299667
Incident
Dec 24, 2009
Mileage
98,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 19, 2009

MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE SEAT BELTS. THEY GET TWISTED UP EVERY TIME YOU USE THEM. MY PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS LOCKED RIGHT NOW AND I CANT EVEN USE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10266007
Incident
Apr 10, 2009
Seat belts
Filed Jul 16, 2003

DRIVERS SEATBELT NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY. FREQUENTLY HAVE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE SEATBELT AS IT GETS PROGRESSIVELY TIGHTER. WHEN PUTTING ON THE SEATBELT I CAN FEEL A LOT OF TENSION ON THE BELT FOR SOME REASON. ALSO AT TIME IT WILL NOT RETRACT AT ALL AND HANGS LOOSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10028362
Incident
Jan 26, 2003
Mileage
45,000 mi

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .