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.
30
Latest Mar 30, 2018
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.
6%
of 545 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.
5
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED AND FAILED TO RETRACT, WHICH LEFT THE OCCUPANTS UNSECURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BAYSHORE FORD OF PENNSYVILLE (200 S. BROADWAY ST, PENNSYVILLE, NJ). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER PRODUCED PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE AND IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.
NHTSA ID
11082199
Incident
Mar 1, 2018
Mileage
139,000 mi
Exterior lightingOther / unspecifiedSeat belts
Filed Jul 19, 2012
THE CAR HAS A RECALL ON LIGHTS SEAT BUCKLE AND STUD. *TR
NHTSA ID
10466557
Incident
Jul 18, 2012
Mileage
140,655 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 6, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED BY NOT RETRACTING AND LOCKING INTO PLACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.
NHTSA ID
10428940
Incident
Oct 6, 2008
Mileage
98,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 17, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS RIDING IN THE VEHICLE AS A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD FAILED AND HE WAS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED DURING THE CRASH AND SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V198000 (SEAT BELTS: FRONT: ANCHORAGE) THAT WAS ISSUED IN 1998 BUT HE AS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ID
10336845
Incident
Aug 27, 2007
Mileage
50,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 23, 2005
DT: THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOESN'T WORK. THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. *JB
NHTSA ID
10126383
Incident
Nov 30, 2004
Mileage
85,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed May 6, 2004
I OWN A 1998 FORD TAURUS WAGON. THE REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT WORK. I CAN NOT GET THEM TO PULL OUT AT ALL. FOR THAT MATTER, I CAN NOT BUCKLE MY CHILD IN. BOTH SIDES ARE AFFECTED. THE CENTER BUCKLE DOESN'T HAVE AN EXTRACTING BELT SO THAT IS THE ONLY USABLE SEAT BELT IN THE REAR. I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I HAVE TO TRANSPORT CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS. THE COVER WAS REMOVED IN ATTEMPT TO FIX THESE AND I AM STILL UNABLE TO GET THEM TO WORK.
NHTSA ID
10068401
Incident
May 6, 2004
Seat belts
Filed Apr 20, 2004
THE REAR SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS INOPERATIVE AND WAS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. *AK *SC *JB
NHTSA ID
10064636
Mileage
75,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 24, 2003
REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT STRAP ON 1998 FORD TAURUS SEDAN WAS NOT SECURED BY MINOR OCCUPANT WHILE EXITING VEHICLE. BELT WAS OUTSIDE VEHICLE WHEN VEHICLE STARTED MOVING AND WAS RUN OVER BY VEHICLE REAR TIRES CAUSING REAR WHEEL TO LOCK AND SKID ON PUBLIC STREET. *LA
NHTSA ID
10043488
Incident
Oct 23, 2003
Mileage
80,300 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Aug 20, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 25/30 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SLIGHT INJURIES.*AK
NHTSA ID
10034246
Seat belts
Filed Aug 7, 2003
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE, DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE RETRACTOR MECHANISMS. PART IS UNAVAILABLE. *PH
NHTSA ID
10032341
Mileage
7,300 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 11, 2003
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK.*JB
NHTSA ID
10007011
Incident
Oct 15, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Oct 10, 2002
CONSUMER NOTICED THE BACK SYSTEM SEAT BELTS LAP DO NOT RETRACT AFTER RELEASING BUCKETS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
NHTSA ID
8020624
Incident
Sep 24, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Oct 4, 2002
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BOTH REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO. *MR
NHTSA ID
8020257
Incident
Sep 20, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jul 25, 2002
THE LEFT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED OR USED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE AN UNUSUAL FAILURE SINCE THE REAR SEATS ARE RARELY OCCUPIED, IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT A CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, SOON AFTER THIS REPAIR THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE USED. NLM
NHTSA ID
566729
Incident
Nov 30, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jul 15, 2002
REAR RIGHT SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE, UNABLE TO RETRACK BELT FROM TRACK POSITION, TO LOCK.*AK
NHTSA ID
8013860
Incident
May 2, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Apr 16, 2002
FRONT PASSENGERS SEATBELT WILL NOT PULL OUT.*AK
NHTSA ID
8007691
Incident
Sep 1, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Apr 8, 2002
REAR LAP/ SHOULDER BELTS WOULD LOCK UP AND WILL NOT RELEASE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT. *AK
NHTSA ID
8006977
Seat belts
Filed Jan 11, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported
VEHICLE WAS REARENDED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN CONSUMER, AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND ARM INJURIES. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER YET.*AK
NHTSA ID
8002050
Incident
Jan 7, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Dec 30, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT SNAPPED DURING THE ACCIDENT (AIR BAGS WORKED FINE) 10" FROM BOLT THAT SECURES BELT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN THIS AREA THAT WOULD HAVE CUT THE BELT. BELT LOOKED NORMAL. DRIVER 125#, 45MPH CRASH,BELT BRAKES? LUCKILY, AFTER BEING BOUNCED AROUND INSIDE SHE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AFTER THE CRASH AND WAS NOT EJECTED FROM THE CAR. *AK
NHTSA ID
756209
Incident
Dec 7, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Oct 12, 2001
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
753129
Seat belts
Filed Feb 17, 2001
PASSANGER SEAT RESTRAINT LOCKS WHEN A LARGE PERSON IS IN THE SEAT. EVERYTIME THE BELT REALS IN A BIT IT STAYS LOCKED, RESULTING IN A VERY TIGHT AND UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE. REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BELT SOME MONTHS AGO RESOLVED THE ISSUE FOR A WHILE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS RE-EMERGED, AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UNIT AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO BE UNSAFE RIDING IN A CAR WITH THE SHOULDER BELT SO TIGHT THAT MOVEMENT IS IMPOSSABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO MY FAT STATURE THE SEAT BELT IS MAL FUNCTIONING, BUT WHEN NORMAL SIZED PEOPLE ARE IN THE SEAT THE RESTRAINT FUNCTIONS PROPERLY.
NHTSA ID
741059
Incident
Feb 10, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jul 31, 2000
PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
866373
Incident
Jul 10, 2000
Driver assistanceInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Jun 10, 2000
CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AFTER CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, NOW IT IS DOING IT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, INTERIOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND NOT GO OUT, RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF BY IT'S SELF, ELECTRIC SEAT ONLY WORKS HALF THE TIME, GOES BACK THEN WILL NOT GO BACK UP, CAR WILL INCREASE IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE IN PARK AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP UNLESS YOU TURN OFF ENGINE, STARTING TO CLIMB IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED ON PASSENGER FRONT SEAT.*AK
NHTSA ID
723859
Incident
Sep 15, 1999
Seat beltsSteering
Filed Feb 7, 2000
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A TURN DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL LOCK. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
NHTSA ID
856402
Incident
Feb 4, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Dec 21, 1999
1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, 8-YEAR OLD IN REAR SEAT WAS PLAYING WHEN THE SEAT BELT BECAME WRAPPED AROUND NECK. PULLED VEHICLE OVER. PUSHED RELEASE BUTTON & BELT RETRACTOR WRAPPED TIGHTER AROUND CHILD'S NECK. WAS NO EMERGENCY RELEASE FOR RETRACTOR. OWNER FORCED BELT OFF CHILD'S NECK. BRUISES LEFT ON NECK & CHIN. *AK
NHTSA ID
854243
Incident
Nov 23, 1999
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