NHTSA Investigation EA96020

SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE SEPARATION

FORD NOTIFIED ODI THAT THEY ARE CONDUCTING A RECALL TO INSPECT AND, AS NECESSARY, REPAIR THE SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE ATTACHMENTS ON 1997 FORD F150 VEHICLES BUILT FROM THE BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION THROUGH APRIL OF 1996.ODI'S DATABASE CONTAINS ONE COMPLAINT ALLEGING THE CENTER FRONT SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE WAS NOT BOLTED TO THE FLOOR.FORD HAS LOCATED 60 ADDITIONAL FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS THAT APPEAR TO BE THE RESULT OF IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF OR MISSING SEAT BELT COMPONENTS ON VEHICLES BUILT AT BOTH THE KANSAS CITY AND NORFOLK ASSEMBLY PLANTS.COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT A SEAT BELT WAS NOT BOLTED TO THE FLOOR, NOT ATTACHED, NOT HOOKED UP, OR THE OWNER COMPLAINED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS LOOSE.THE CAUSES HAVE INCLUDED A MISSING BOLT, MISSING NUT, BOLT HOLE NOT THREADED, WELD NUT MISSING, OR BOLT NOT COMPLETELY TIGHTENED INTO ITS MOUNTING HOLE.THE ALLEGED CONDITIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN ALL POTENTIAL SEATING POSITIONS IN THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS IN BOTH THE REGULAR AND SUPER CAB MODELS.FORD'S ANALYSIS OF THEIR COMPLAINTS INDICATE THAT THIS SITUATION OCCURRED PREDOMINANTLY IN VEHICLES BUILT FROM AUGUST 14, 1995 THROUGH APRIL 30 1996.IN LATE APRIL, IN RESPONSE TO THE FIELD REPROTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS, FORD RETAINED LINE OPERATORS, LINE SUPERVISORS, AND PLANT REPAIR PERSONNEL.OWNERS OF VEHICLES BUILT WITHIN THIS TIME PERIOD WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE CONDITION AND INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO DEALERS FOR INSPECTION OF AND, AS NECESSARY, REPAIR OF SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE ATTACHMENTS.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.RECALL 96V-256

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.