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.
27
Latest Jan 8, 2016
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.
53%
of 51 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.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Mazda Protege submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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 27, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH DURING RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A POTHOLE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE SPUN CRASHING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE INTO A TREE. THE SEAT BELT DETACHED AND THE CONTACT WAS RELEASED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED KNEE, HEAD, AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 03/15/16*LJ *TR
NHTSA ID
10819069
Incident
Jan 1, 2008
Mileage
90,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 20, 2005
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WOULD RETRACT SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE: ON APRIL 18, 2005 I WAS GIVEN A FIX-IT TICKET FOR NOT WEARING MY SHOULDER HARNESS.*AK THE AUTOMATIC HARNESS NO LONGER FULLY RETRACTS, SO IT IS USELESS.
NHTSA ID
10118142
Incident
Apr 15, 2005
Mileage
194,350 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 16, 2004
THE SEAT BELT CORD ON MY 1991 MAZDA PROTEGE HAS BECOME INOPERABLE AND THEREFORE I HAVE NO TOP SEAT BELT ON MY CARS DRIVER SIDE. *AK
NHTSA ID
10066303
Incident
Apr 2, 2004
Mileage
153,256 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 13, 2002
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE RETACTOR, LEAVING THE OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED. DEALER NOTIFED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ID
8016199
Incident
Aug 5, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jan 28, 2002
SEAT BELT SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND BEEP GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WEARING THROUGH IN THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCATED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS NEARLY $300. SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ID
757436
Incident
Jul 30, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Dec 14, 2000
SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND BEEP GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WEARING THROUGH IN THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCATED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS NEARLY $300. SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA ID
737814
Incident
May 10, 1991
Seat belts
Filed Aug 14, 2000
CURRENT RECALL ON MAZDA 323 MOTORIZED SAFETY BELT DOES NOT COVER THE MAZDA PROTEGE WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL PART NUMBER. MY CAR'S BELT HAS FAILED DUE TO THIS DEFECT AND MAZDA REFUSES TOCOVER IT.*AK
NHTSA ID
727860
Incident
Jul 5, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Aug 24, 1999
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER SAFETY BELT HAS LOCKED UP IN THE RELEASE POSITION. IT APPEARS THE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR THE SAFETY BELT HAS JUMPED OFF TRACK.
NHTSA ID
710427
Incident
Aug 22, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999
SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT AND ALARM ACTIVATE AT RANDOM TIMES, CAUSING OWNER TO QUESTION WHETHER SEAT BELT WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY IN A CRASH. *AK
NHTSA ID
702824
Incident
Dec 15, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Jan 22, 1999
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 65 MPH THE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT, LEAVING CONSUMER LOOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *AK
NHTSA ID
833992
Incident
Jan 22, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Dec 15, 1998
DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC LAP AND SHOULDER BELT IS INOPERABLE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE MOTOR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
832285
Seat belts
Filed Nov 5, 1998
AUTOMATIC PART OF THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE MOTOR RUNS, SHOULDER PART DOES NOT CONNTECT. VECHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY TO THE RECALL. DEALER CANNOT REPAIR, $500 AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK
NHTSA ID
830255
Incident
Oct 21, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Sep 15, 1998
THE DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINT BELT BROKE AND HAS A BEEPING NOISE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE RESTRAINT AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
827895
Seat belts
Filed Feb 5, 1998
THERE IS A CONTINUOUS BEEPING SOUND ACTIVATED WHEN THE SEAT BELT ARE NOT SECURED AND ENGINE STARTED. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY THIS ALARM ACTIVATES INTERMITTENTLY AND CONSTANTLY WHILE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND THE SEA TBELT IS SECURELY BUCKLED. *AK
NHTSA ID
523220
Seat belts
Filed Oct 16, 1997
LAP BELT FOR BOTH FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SEAT IS HELD IN AN ACCESSIBLE LOCATION BY A PLASTIC BAR ON THE LOWER OUTBOARD HINGE. THE PLASTIC BAR BROKE TWICE, RESULTING IN LAP BELT RETRACTING ALL THE WAY TO THE REEL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS WHILE SITTING IN THE SEAT. *AK
NHTSA ID
513699
Seat belts
Filed Aug 6, 1996
FAULTY SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CAUSES SEAT BELT LIGHT TO COME ON/SEAT BELT TO TIGHTEN.
NHTSA ID
507146
Incident
Jul 31, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jul 15, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported
DRIVING VEHICLE, ANOTHER VEHICLE DROVE OUT OF PARKING LOT & ORIGINAL VEHICLE HIT THE DRIVER'S SIDE, SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. *AK
NHTSA ID
984577
Incident
Apr 29, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 25, 1996
1 injury reported
SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY. *SD
NHTSA ID
505045
Incident
Apr 29, 1996
Seat belts
Filed May 13, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE DRIVERS SEATBELT BECAME UNLATCHED DURING VEHICLE COLLISION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NHTSA ID
984307
Incident
May 7, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Nov 8, 1995
PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT WORK, LEAVING SEATBELT INOPERATIVE. TT
NHTSA ID
974839
Incident
Oct 15, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Oct 20, 1995
LAP/SHOULDER BELT PASSENGER AND DRIVER PLASTIC BROKE, CAN NOT FASTEN SEAT BELT. TT BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE PLASTIC SEAT BELT HOLDER BROKE CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO RETRACT AND BE INACCESIBLE FOR FASTENING. *YH
NHTSA ID
973692
Incident
Jun 1, 1995
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Jun 2, 1995
THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT SYSTEM STOPS IN MID TRACK AND THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT ALWAYS OPEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA ID
966247
Incident
Jun 1, 1995
BrakesSeat beltsSuspension
Filed May 1, 1995
THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT KEEP COMING ON DEALER CHECK IT OUT CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. TT
NHTSA ID
964567
Incident
Jun 1, 1993
Seat belts
Filed Apr 20, 1995
THE PASSENGER SIDE RETRACTOR DON'T RETRACT FORWARD YOU NEED TO PULL IT. TT
NHTSA ID
964050
Incident
Dec 1, 1994
Seat belts
Filed Mar 15, 1995
ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT SLIDE FORWARD BUT STICKS. TT
NHTSA ID
962004
Incident
Feb 5, 1991
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.