1997 Ford Taurus Seat belts Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER CLOSING HIS SEAT BELT, IT WOULD RETRACT BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000. I HAVE NOT HAD THE DEFECT REPAIRED. THE BUCKLE RELEASES BY ITSELF APPROX 2% OF THE TIME, EVEN AFTER I PULL ON IT INITIALLY AND IT SEEMS SECURE. I WAS IN A ACCIDENT APPROX 2-3 YEARS AGO, AND THE BELT DIDN'T RELEASE. IT WAS A MINOR ACCIDENT WITH ON INJURIES. [XXX] *LN INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10425191

Incident

Aug 13, 2006

Mileage

28,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SAFETY BELTS IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE FRONT PASSENGER BELT DID NOT FEED AT ALL. THE REAR SAFETY BELTS DID NOT RETRACT AT ALL AFTER BEING UNBUCKLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

10167852

Incident

Sep 11, 2006

Mileage

72,990 mi

THE SEAT BELT IN MY VEHICLE RANDOMLY COMES UNFASTENED WHEN I AM DRIVING. EVEN WHEN I PULL ON THE BELT AFTER FASTENING THE BUCKLE AND IT SEEMS SECURE, IT SOMETIMES STILL POPS OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10105722

Incident

Jan 4, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT WITH SOME STONE GUARD RAILS ON ROUTE 18 NORTH IN EATONTOWN, NEW JERSEY. MY SEAT BELT RELEASE ON IMPACT AND SENT ME FLYING TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR ON TOP OF MY BOYFRIEND. ALSO THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. AND WE HIT THE GURAD RAILS AT 65 MPH. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING BACK FROM SOMEONE AT THE FORD HEADQUARTERS. BECAUSE MY BOYFRIEND AND I COULD HAV LOST OURS LIVES DUE TO THE DEFECTS OF THIS CAR. THE CAR IS TOTALED OUT. ANDMY BOYFRIEND ONLY WALKED AWAY WITH A BRUISED SHOULDER AND WHIPLASH, WHILE I ON THE OTHER HAND HAD A CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH AND VARIOUS MUSCLE STRAINS. I THANK MY GOD . *AK

NHTSA ID

10104852

Incident

Dec 26, 2004

Mileage

115,500 mi

3 DIFFERENT SEAT BELTS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE SEIZED UP -- COMPLETELY FAILED -- IN THE 6 YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THE SEAT BELTS LOCK IN PLACE, AND ARE THEN NON-FUNCTIONING. WE ARE ABOUT TO REPLACE THAT THIRD BROKEN SEAT BELT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058277

Incident

Dec 22, 2003

Mileage

81,000 mi

THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS IN PLACE WHICH ENABLES THE PASSENGER TO PULL IT OUT. THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID

10047841

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, ALSO THE SEAT BELT UN-BUCKLED WITHOUT BEING DISENGAGED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008919

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

DRIVER SEATBELT STATUS, DOOR SHUT STATUS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SEATBELT LIGHT IS ON EVEN WHEN WEARING SEATBELT, AND "DOOR OPEN" LIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHT STAY ON EVEN WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED.

NHTSA ID

10004913

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

Mileage

101,000 mi

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT PASSENGER RESTRAINT SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT AFTER USE, NO LONGER PROVIDE TIGHT RESTRAINT, AND THEREFORE PUT PASSENGERS AT RISK. DT

NHTSA ID

769235

Incident

Jul 10, 2002

UPON PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, SEAT BELT WAS BROKEN. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM, NOW IT LOOKS AS IF IT IS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. DEALER WILL FIX AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE. *JG

NHTSA ID

564638

PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT PULL OUT OF RETRACTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8001129

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A NEW SEAT BELT WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED, WHEN CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT STILL DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT WAS FIXED THE SAME DAY, CONSUMER IS QUESTIONING HOW THE CORRECTION WAS MADE WITHOUT ORDERING ANOTHER SEATBELT IN WHICH THE FIRST SEAT TOOK TWO DAYS TO ARRIVE.*JB

NHTSA ID

563568

Incident

Sep 16, 2001

THE REAR SEATBELTS ON BOTH SIDES BECAME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND ARE NO LONGER OPERABLE. IN ADDITION THE METAL PIECE THAT FITS IN THE ANCHOR IN THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT BROKE OFF THE WEBBING WHILE MY 35 POUND FOUR YEAR OLD WAS WEARING IT. ALSO, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT HAS FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE REPEATEDLY AND COME APART WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

750667

THE REAR CENTER SEAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAFEST PLACE FOR A CHILD. UNFORTUNATLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE WHEN THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT FAILS. THANKFULLY THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN OUR CAR WAS SAFELY PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. MY HUSBAND HAD NOTICED THE CAR SEAT WAS LOOSE (WHICH IN ITSELF IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION CREATED BY THIS INPROPERLY FUNCTIONING SEATBELT BUCKLE) & HE TRIED TO TIGHTEN THE BELT. THE BUCKLE FELL TO PIECES ALL OVER MY BACK SEAT. IT IS GOING TO COST ME NEARLY $100 TO REPAIR THIS FAULTY SEATBELT. A SMALL PRICE FOR KEEPING MY SON SAFE (UNTIL THIS BREAKS AS WELL) . . . . BUT THIS IS GOING TO COST FORD EVEN MORE IF SOME UNSUSPECTING FAMILY IS INJURED BY THE VERY DEVICE THAT CLAIMS TO SAVE LIVES. *AK

NHTSA ID

749572

Incident

Jul 31, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY NORMAL SPEED POWER STEERING WILL KICK OUT SOMETIMES. ALSO, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF/ DOOR LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND SPEED CONTROL WILL COME ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

878578

Incident

Jan 5, 2001

RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING, FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID

876590

Incident

Sep 10, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET VEHICLE THEN REMAINED STANDING AT AN INTERSECTION AT A RED LIGHT WITH TWO VEHICLES AHEAD. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND ON CONNECTICUT AVE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO VAN NESS, WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST, LOST CONTROL AND SIDE SWIPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, PUSHING IT ONTO THE SIDEWALK. A CHAIN REACTION STARTED IN WHICH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE PASSENGER HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK IN PLACE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

859295

Incident

Jan 6, 2000

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES ABOVE THE ANCHOR BOLT, AT THE "B" PILLAR POST. THIS INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED BY OFFICER R.L. MCEDWARD, (9359), CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL PER C.H.P. POLICY. *AK

NHTSA ID

719890

Incident

Mar 8, 2000

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

857691

Incident

Feb 15, 2000

PASSENGER'S SEATBELT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALER NEEDS TO REPLACE THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

850593

Incident

Jun 30, 1999

SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT CORRECTLY AND LOCKUP AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES. DEALER AND FORD MOTOR WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED US THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (THROUGH TRAVELERS) AT ADDITIONAL COST -- SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS NOT COVERED. WE'RE SCREWED. ESTIMATE OF OVER $400 TO CORRECT BY DEALER. PRESENTLY LOOKING AT AFTERMARKET ALTERNATIVES TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE FORD COMPONENTS. NOT CERTAIN WHETHER "GENUINE" FORD PARTS WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS THEY MAY HAVE THE SAME NET RESULT.

NHTSA ID

713103

Incident

May 1, 1999

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A GRACO BOOSTER SEAT FOR MY SON. AFTER STRUGGLING TO INSTALL IT FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY 85% OF CAR SEATS ARE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY..IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS, AND PEOPLE GIVE UP! THEY THINK, "NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, I'M A GOOD DRIVER". THIS IS A TERRIBLE ATTITUDE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR CHILDREN. ALSO, THEY DON'T MENTION IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT TWO PEOPLE ARE NEEDED TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE BOOSTER SEAT. I ONLY FOUND THIS OUT BY CALLING THE MANUFACTURER FOR HELP. LUCKILY, WITH THE HELP OF A PATIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, I GOT THE SEAT INSTALLED CORRECTLY.

NHTSA ID

708400

DURING IMPACT AT 20 MPH, THE DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED FROM BELT BUCKLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

823589

Incident

Mar 12, 1998

SEAT BELT ANCHOR IS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. THE ONLY WAY THE RESTRAINTS CAN BE LATCHED IS IF TWISTED THE RESTRAINT ACROSS TO THE BUCKLE. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND IS WAITING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *AK THE STEERING BECOMES HARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREPPED, INSPECTED AND SOLD TO HIM WITH DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT IN TOTAL DISREGARD FOR HIS SAFETY. *YH

NHTSA ID

816207