NHTSA Investigation PE03030

SAFETY BELT BUCKLE FAILURE

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON JULY 14, 2003 BASED ON 4 REPORTS ALLEGING THE DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH OR REMAIN LATCHED.MAZDA NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT TRANSFERRED ENGINEERING RESPONSIBILITY TO FORD WHEN THE VEHICLE DESIGN WAS BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES FOR PRODUCTION IN FORD'S ASSEMBLY PLANTS.FORD DETERMINED THAT THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE IS SUBJECT TO LATERAL FLEXING DURING USE THAT COULD ALLOW A PORTION OF THE BUCKLE CABLE STALK CONVOLUTE TUBING THAT EXTENDS INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY TO CONTACT THE MOLDED PLASTIC ANTI-RATTLE POST ON THE UPPER BUCKLE COVER.THIS CONTACT MAY CAUSE THE POST TO FATIGUE AND FRACTURE, ALLOWING THE BACKSIDE OF THE LATCH TO WEDGE BELOW THE BROKEN EDGE OF THE POST.IN THIS ORIENTATION, THE BROKEN POST MAY HINDER THE INTENDED ROTATION OF THE LATCH DURING INSERTION OF THE LATCH PLATE RESULTING IN A NO-LATCH OR FALSE-LATCH CONDITION.FORD'S SUPPLIER AUTOLIV, INC. PROVIDED BUCKLE COVERS WITHOUT THE ANTI-RATTLE POST BEGINNING IN OCTOBER 2000.RECALL SCOPE:THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE 2001 MODEL YEAR FORD ESCAPE AND MAZDA TRIBUTE BUILT AT THE CLAYCOMO (KANSAS CITY), MISSOURI ASSEMBLY PLANT THROUGH MAY 31, 2001.RECALL REMEDY:FORD-LINCOLN-MERCURY AND MAZDA DEALERS, RESPECTIVELY, WILL REPLACE BOTH DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE COVERS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED SERVICE BUCKLE COVERS.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

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.