1994 Subaru Legacy Seat belts Problems

THE RETRACTABLE MECHANIZED SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

10853006

Incident

Aug 22, 2013

Mileage

193,000 mi

DT: 1994 SUBARU LEGACY L ALL WHEEL DRIVE, THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT BROKE. THE SEAT BELT IS CONNECTED TO THE DOOR, AND WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT WILL NOT RUN THE TRACK TO BE IN THE PROPER POSITION FOR SAFETY. THIS IS ON THE SHOULDER PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE LAP BELT ALONE IS NOT SAFE USE. HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, AND THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE SEAT BELT, AND THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT WAS ONLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR 3 YEARS. THE COST TO REPLACE THE MOTOR OF THE SEAT BELT IS AT LEAST $400. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS WITH THIS SEAT BELT MOTOR PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT THE MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO THE MOTOR GOING OUT, NO NOISES, AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS, IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10136519

Incident

Jul 17, 2005

Mileage

17,000 mi

WE HAVE A 1994 SUBARU LEGACY. WHEN THE CAR WAS OUT OR WARRANTY, THE DRIVER SIDE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER HARNESS BROKE. WE COMPLAINED TO SUBARU AND THEY FIXED IT AT NO COST TO US IN 1999. IT WASN'T WORKING AGIAN AND WE PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED IN 2000.ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO IT BROKE AGAIN. THE SHOULDER HARNESS WOULD NOT RETRACT. WE WERE TOLD BY SUBARU THEY WOULD NOT HELP US. NOW WE FIND OUT THAT IT IS A TICKETABLE OFFENSE NOT TO HAVE A SHOULDER HARNESS. THERE IS A LAP BLET AND AN AIR BAG. SO WE CALLED SABARU AND THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD BE REPONSIBLE FOR 50% OF THE BILL. WE WENT TO THE SUBARU DEALER YESTERDAY AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE $1140 TO FIX IT. WE FEEL THAT IS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT FOR A SAFETY ITEM. I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY WILL NOT HELP ME OUT. THIS SAFETY BELT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND THEY HAVE ADMITTED AND REDESIGNED IT IN FUTURE MODELS. OUR BELT AUTOMATICALLY RETRACTS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE CAR AND HAS A CABLE AND A MOTOR. THERE IS ALSO A FEDERAL LAW THAT SAFTEY BELTS ARE GUARENTEED FOR LIFE. EVEN THE LAP BELT ON THIS VEHICLE NEEDS REPLACEMENT AS THE STICHING IS COMING OUT. *AK WE WOULD LIKE SOME HELP IN MALKING SUBARU RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SAFETY WHILE WE ARE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. ELLEN GOLDBERG

NHTSA ID

10075232

Incident

Feb 11, 1999

MOTORIZED SEATBELT IS STUCK IN ONE POSITION. MOTOR STILL RUNS UPON OPENING/CLOSING OF CAR DOOR, BUT BELT DOES NOT MOVE IN TRACK. TWO FEET OF TRACK CABLE HAS FALLEN OUT OF ITS HOUSING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058143

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

Mileage

125,000 mi

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT SLIDING RETRACTOR WILL NOT MOVE, MAKING USE OF THIS SEAT BELT INOPERABLE,

NHTSA ID

10030255

Incident

Mar 2, 2002

Mileage

120,000 mi

BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AUTOMATICALLY I HAVE TO CLIMB UNDER THE SHOLDER BELT WHEN GETING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THET THE SAFE OPERATION OF A MAJOR ITEM REQUIRED BY LAW WOULD HAVE TO BE SERVICEABLE FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE NOT AS IN THIS CASE THE HALF LIFE. *AK

NHTSA ID

755679

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AND THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION ON THE ROAD. THERE WAS A SUDDEN STOP IN FRONT OF THE LANE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS THIRD IN A THREE CAR ACCIDENT. SHE WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, AND AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DIDN'T HOLD . SHE HIT STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. ALSO, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID

898639

Incident

Oct 11, 2000

SHOULDER BELT FOR THE DRIVER'S RESTRAINT BELT SYSTEM IS STUCK IN AN UNUSABLE POSITION AND WILL NOT MOVE ALONG THE TRACK. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER HOW MUCH REPAIRS WOULD RUN, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WIRE WHICH PULLS THE MOVABLE PART IS OFF THE TRACK AND HANGING, IT FAILED COMPLETELY SOMETIME IN JUNE OF 2001. *SLC

NHTSA ID

893498

Incident

Dec 10, 1999

DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILED IN TRACK WILL NOT MOVE IN EITHER DIRECTION, TRACK CABLE PROTRUDES FROM TRACK. *AK

NHTSA ID

739236

Incident

Mar 17, 2000

MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO WORK. REMAINED IN THE SAME POSITION AT TOP OF DOOR TRACK. HAVE TO UNCLIP SHOULDER BELT TO GET IN OR OUT OF VEHICLE. LAP BELT SEPARATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC REFUSED TO REPAIR SEAT BELT DUE TO BEING OVER 100,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

872181

PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINT ON GUIDERAIL WAS NOT RETRACTING. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

868262

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

DOES NOT ENGAGE ON START-UP, RANDOM ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, SAFETY IS THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY! HAD MECHANIC DISENGAGE MOTOR, NOW OPERATES MANUALLY. EST. COST OF REPAIR- $200-$350.

NHTSA ID

705979

Incident

Apr 9, 1999

THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FAILED. THE CABLE HAS COME OUT OF THE TRACK AND THE ANCHOR (AROUND THE DOOR) NO LONGER MOVES, ALTHOUGH THE BELT MOTOR STILL WORKS, THE BELT CANNOT BE MOVED INTO A FULL BACK POSITION. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD NOT FAIL AND IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. SUBARU HAS NOW, AFTER SOME CALLS, OFFERED PAY FOR THE PARTS IF I PAY THE LABOR FOR INSTALLATION OF A COMPLETE NEW KIT FOR THE TRACK, ETC. IS THIS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR? I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE SEATBELT SYSTEM SHOULD BE LUBED ONCE A YEAR TO PREVENT THE $450 FAILURE THAT OCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. YOUR HELP IS APPRECIATED. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS. *MJS

NHTSA ID

705635

Incident

Apr 4, 1999

DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT GOT STUCK IN A FORWARD POSITION, CAUSING SHOULDER BELT TO BE INOPERATIVE, WHICH WONT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

835807

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

CONSUMER WAS HIT ON RIGHT FROND END ,THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING CHEST AND STERNUM INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

835093

MOTORBELTS FAILED THREE TIMES. (QCAW)

NHTSA ID

538101

Incident

May 1, 1996

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID

537285

Incident

Jun 20, 1998

FRONT MOTORBELTS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

534422

Incident

Apr 1, 1997

THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE SHOULDER BELT WHICH IS LOCKED IN THE TRACK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

820176

Incident

Jun 1, 1997

WHEN SHUTTING THE DOOR THE SEAT BELT WILL MOVE HALFWAY UP THE DOOR AND THEN QUIT. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT CONSTANTLY STAYS ON BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. *YD

NHTSA ID

815968

Incident

Aug 20, 1997

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS STUCK AT THE MID-POINT OF THE SEAT BELT TRACK ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT NOT TO FUNCTION. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

815847

Incident

Jun 1, 1997

SHOULDER HARNESS ATTACHED TO DOOR IS STUCK & REMAINS OPEN. HAPPENS RATHER WHEN DOOR IS LOCKED/UNLOCKED OR ENGINE IS ON OR OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

815301

Incident

Jul 15, 1997

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID

519427

Incident

May 1, 1996

SHOULDER BELT: AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT ENGAGE AS IT SHOULD WHEN IN USE. BELT IS LOOSE, THEREFORE, FEELS LIKE IT IS USELESS. *AK

NHTSA ID

812574

Incident

May 26, 1997

CONSUMER HAD AUTO ACCIDENT ON 10/18/96 AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD HIM. *AK

NHTSA ID

803814

Incident

Oct 18, 1996