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.
17
Latest Feb 20, 2003
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.
21%
of 81 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Mercury Cougar submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Seat belts
Filed Feb 20, 2003
I HAVE TRIED TWICE TO ASK FORD TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF SEATBELT FAILURE IN THE COUGAR. THEY HAVE STATED THAT "ALTHOUGH IT IS A VITAL SAFETY COMPONENT THERE IS NO RECALL AND MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. YOU SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THEM FIXED QUICKLY." I REFUSE TO PAY IN EXCESS OF 500.00 TO THE FORD GARAGE TO FIX A STANDARD SAFETY COMPONENT ! AMONG THE HEAD GASKET , E.G.R., TRANS. , P.W. MOTORS, AND COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT, I BELIEVE I HAVE PAID FOR ENOUGH OF THEIR FAILURES IN THIS AUTO! I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT A COMPANY WOULD DEVISE SUCH A WORTHLESS SAFETY DEVICE AND THEN NOT ONLY ADMIT IT IS HAZARDOUS, BUT TELL CUSTOMERS OF SUCH AN EXPENSIVE ITEM THAT THEY NEED TO GET IT FIXED BY THEMSELVES! I RELY ON THIS DEVICE TO SAVE MY FAMILY AND MY LIFE! I ONLY WANT THE CHANCE FOR US TO STAY IN THE VEHICLE IN A CRASH, NOT BE EJECTED AND KILLED BECAUSE FORD DID NOT THINK THESE RESTRAINTS WERE USELESS.
NHTSA ID
10007854
Incident
Jan 27, 2003
Mileage
75,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 22, 2002
PASSENGER'S SHOULDER SEAT BELT IS BROKEN. THREAD TO THE SEATBELT IS COMING APART. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ID
8002629
Incident
Jan 22, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Apr 16, 2001
AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS GET STUCK IN COLD WEATHER, SOMETIMES IF WEARING BULKY CLOTHES BELTS WILL BE LOOSE, CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE IN AN ACCIDENT CONSUMER MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED. *AK
NHTSA ID
885953
Incident
Jan 1, 1989
Seat belts
Filed Jan 26, 2001
THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO FAULTY MOTOR, DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. NLM
NHTSA ID
559209
Seat belts
Filed Sep 15, 2000
AUTOMATIC SEATBELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAS FAILED ,IT WILL NOT RETRACT , CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION POSSIBLY DUE TO TEETH THAT GOT CHEWED UP AND OVERWORKED THE MOTOR. *AK
NHTSA ID
870612
Seat belts
Filed Jul 28, 2000
2 injuries reported
BOTH AUTOMATIC MOTOR BELTS MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING LOCK UP AND 2 INJURIES. *SLC
NHTSA ID
784764
Incident
May 10, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Sep 13, 1996
THE DRIVER'S LAP SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. PLEASE EXPAIN IN DETAIL. *AK
NHTSA ID
802329
Seat belts
Filed May 30, 1996
WHEN BUCKLE RELEASE IS PRESSED, THE RELEASE BUTTON FAILS TO POP BACK OUT, PREVENTING SEAT BELT USE UNTIL THE BUTTON CAN BE FREED. THE RELEASE BUTTON APPEARS.*AK
NHTSA ID
985030
Seat belts
Filed Mar 22, 1996
DRIVERS PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILS TO MOVE ALONG RAIL, W/PASSENGER SIDE STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SAME CONDITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
981132
Seat belts
Filed Jan 17, 1996
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SOMETIMES DON'T LOCK IN SOMETIMES WHEN MOVING THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. TT
NHTSA ID
977686
Seat belts
Filed Nov 27, 1995
DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILS TO LATCH. *DSH
NHTSA ID
487833
Incident
Jun 1, 1991
Seat belts
Filed Sep 7, 1995
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, BELT BUCKLE WILL UNLATCH BY ITSELF. TT
NHTSA ID
971680
Incident
Sep 7, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Sep 5, 1995
AUTOMATIC DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, IT FAILED TO OPERATE. TT
NHTSA ID
971594
Incident
May 1, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Aug 22, 1995
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE . TT
NHTSA ID
970842
Seat belts
Filed Jul 8, 1995
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING BELT TO STICK HALFWAY UP TRACK. *SKD
NHTSA ID
484067
Incident
Jul 8, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 13, 1995
THE TWO BACK PASSENGER SEATBELTS CAN BE PULLED APART WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT WHEN SEEMED LOCKED.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA ID
966728
Incident
Jun 12, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Mar 28, 1995
Crash reported1 injury reported
SHOULDER BELT DID NOT GRAB/HOLD DRIVER DURING 3-WAY ACCIDENT; FRONT RIGHT FENDER HIT RIGHT REAR BUMPER OF STOPPED VEHICLE; DRIVER'S CHEST HIT STEERING WHEEL.
NHTSA ID
962654
Incident
Mar 15, 1995
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