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.
15
Latest Feb 20, 2011
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.
3%
of 576 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.
5
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Ranger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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
Exterior lightingSeat belts
Filed Feb 20, 2011
98' FORD RANGER: HAS A CRACKED FRAME ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE. TRUCK MAKES LOUD NOISES WHEN DRIVING AND I AM AFRAID IT MAY BECOME WORSE OVER TIME OR COMPLETELY BREAK DOWN IN UNSAFE SPEEDS. I CAN NOT SELL IT, AS I WAS TRYING TO USE THE MONEY FOR A NEW VEHICLE DUE TO A NEW BABY IN OUR FAMILY. NO ONE WILL BUY SUCH A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. ALSO SEAT BELTS WILL NOT STAY LATCHED? ALSO THE INSIDE DOME LIGHT MELTS RIGHT THROUGH THE COVERING, WHERE TEMPERATURES MAKE THE PLASTIC COVER BUBBLE AND MELT.
NHTSA ID
10383860
Incident
Apr 1, 2006
Mileage
160,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 29, 2009
Crash reported1 death reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW AND WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A POLICE OFFICER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE SAFETY BELT BEING SEPARATED. THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION WAS CAUSED BY THE SEAT HINGE FAILING, WHICH CUT THE SAFETY BELT. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 197,500. UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/25/09. *JB
NHTSA ID
10256868
Incident
Jan 29, 2009
Mileage
197,500 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 24, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE FORD RANGER LOST TRACTION AND SLID ON THE ICE. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK ON IMPACT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CHILD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER HEAD. THIS IS THE SECOND ACCIDENT IN OUR 1998 FORD RANGER THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. *JB
NHTSA ID
10180604
Incident
Jan 23, 2007
Seat belts
Filed Aug 21, 2001
PASSENGERS SEATBELTS GO INSIDE OF RETRACTOR, BUT SEATBELTS DOESN'T ATTACH OR SECURE PROPERLY.*AK
NHTSA ID
894846
Incident
Jul 1, 2001
Seat belts
Filed May 1, 2001
PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINT WILL NOT RETRACT OUT. PASSENGER IS UNRESTRAINED.*AK
NHTSA ID
887196
Seat belts
Filed Apr 12, 2001
Crash reported
SEAT BELT DOES NOT RESTRAIN. DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO RESTRAIN SO OCCUPANTS CAN REACH FOR COFFEE, ETC.
NHTSA ID
743959
Incident
Nov 11, 2000
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 12, 2000
Crash reported
DUE TO A CHAIN REACTION ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, DRIVER'S SHOULDER SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP. *AK
NHTSA ID
860184
Incident
Apr 11, 2000
BrakesOther / unspecifiedSeat belts+3 more
Filed Mar 23, 2000
SDT4WEQTW
NHTSA ID
999999
Seat belts
Filed Oct 15, 1999
DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT TONGUE WILL NOT LATCH OR LOCK IN BECAUSE THE LOCKING DEVICE IS IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
NHTSA ID
850823
Other / unspecifiedSeat belts
Filed Jun 29, 1999
LEFT FRONT WHEEL BECAME UNATTACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS TRAVELING ON EXPRESSWAY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT. SEAT BELT ALSO BECAME DISCONNECTED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. NLM
NHTSA ID
546480
Incident
Oct 26, 1998
Seat beltsSuspension
Filed Apr 26, 1999
Crash reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH BACK END HIT SOME GRAVEL IN THE ROAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND AND ROLLOVER. CONSUMER'S CHILD WAS SITTING IN THE CHILD SEAT IN THE REAR, AND THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT BUCKLE POPPED OPEN,CAUSING THE CHILD TO BE HANGING OUT OF SEAT. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO CUT THE STRIP FROM AROUND THE CHILD. *AK
NHTSA ID
837078
Incident
Apr 23, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Feb 23, 1999
VEHICLE HAS JUMP SEATS AND ONLY LAP BELTS, NO SHOULDER HARNESS. DEALERSHIP ASSURED US THIS WAS SAFE FOR A SMALL CHILD AT THE TIME LEASE WAS SIGNED. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT MY 40 LB. CHILD IS UNSAFE WITHOUT A SHOULDER HARNESS. PLEASE CONFIRM THIS AS THE MANUFACTURER, FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS GIVING US DIFFICULTY ABOUT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT OUR CONCERN. *AK
NHTSA ID
701000
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999
SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY,RESULTING IN BELT BECOMING ENTANGLED IN THE DOOR.
NHTSA ID
608764
Seat belts
Filed Dec 2, 1998
SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK DURING SUDDEN BRAKING.
NHTSA ID
542819
Seat beltsSuspension
Filed Aug 5, 1998
THE FRONT MIDDLE SEATBELT MALFUNCTIONS WHEN THE OCCUPANT MOVES TO THE RIGHT AND SEATBELT ADJUSTER SLIDES DOWN, WHICH WILL NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN ACCIDENT. ALSO THE TORSION BAR RUBS AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE, CAUSING A HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE, RESULTING IN BRAKE LOSS. *AK
NHTSA ID
826324
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
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