I was involved in a highway speed motor vehicle accident. I rear ended another vehicle at highway speeds. In the accident the seat belt pre-tensioner (or retractor) did not lock the belt in position. When I unbuckled after the accident the belt retracted back into the side panel.
2001 Ford Escape: seat belt won't latch or retract
9 of the 996 complaints about the 2001 Ford Escape describe seat belt won't latch or retract.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Seat belt won't latch or retract by model year
What owners say
In nov. Of 2006, I took my 2001 ford escape to the dealership because my right rear passenger seatbelt was twisting and was not retracting. My child's booster seat was held with this belt and was not working. The dealership told me that due to a flaw, condensation was able to get inside and that it had caused an internal spring to rust and break. They told me that in 2002 + models, it was redesigned and that coil or spring is now protected with a protective covering. I called ford motor corp and they covered the repair and I had to pay a $75.00 deductible. Now 13 months later, the same problem had re- occurred. This time ford motor corp. Says they will not cover it because my vehicle is out of warranty. I again reminded them that this faulty seatbelt is being used to secure my seven year old daughter's booster seat and it terrifies me to think of what could have happened to her if I was in a serious collision. Ford did have a safety seatbelt recall on a front seatbelt latch and I complied and I think that was in 2004. I believe that this problem has the propensity to lead to a serious injury if it is not resolved.
Air bag light has illuminated occasionally since vehicle was new(nov 1, 2001). Seat belt buckle latch was replaced under warranty in jan 03. Problem fixed. Next occurrence nov 03. Connections cleaned and treated, problem fixed. In may 05 problem appeared again, with the addition of intermittent seat belt light illumination. Vehicle was returned to dealer. A tsb had been issued by ford to replace the safety belt buckle pre-tensioner on both seats. The tsb was not covered by an extended warranty, and the repair would cost approximately $695. Repair was declined. However, owner was charged $75 to read the codes. Owner cleaned and treated electrical connections under both seats. Lights are no longer illuminated.
The federal safety agency recall# 03v507000 subject:seat belt buckle cover. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the free remedy. The consumer also asked the mechanic to do an oil change. The dealer kept the vehicle for a while and returned the vehicle to the consumer. After about thirty minutes, the dealer's mechanic called and informed the consumer that the recall repair and the oil change was not done because the mechanic forgot to do it. The mechanic only did a diagnostic test.
The replacement part to perform seat belt buckle recall 03v507000 repairs had not been available for over a month.
The rear seat belt buckle assembly did not lock into place due to the buckle not engaging. *ak
Consumer states that the vehicle was in a collision and the drivers side seat belt did not lock. Dealer notified.
In a frontal collision seat belt did'nt retract on impact.
Safety restraint systems,; passenger's side air bag cover will pop off, and over a period of time, air bag will start seeping out. This has been replaced by dealership three times. Also driver's side seat belt buckle will not remain (female piece) latched. This has been replaced by dealership twice. *ak
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, a post within the safety belt buckle covers could fracture, which could affect latch function, resulting in either a "no latch" or "partial latch" condition. In the "partial latch" condition, the buckle tongue can be inserted into the buckle and appear to be engaged, but will release from the buckle without the push button being depressed when a relatively low load is applied, such as when an occupant moves slightly in the seat.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will have the driver and front passenger safety belt buckle cover removed and replaced with a newly designed service buckle cover. Owner notification began on february 2, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.
Recall number 03V507000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2001 Ford Escape seat belt
Is seat belt won't latch or retract a common problem on the 2001 Ford Escape?
9 of 996 owner complaints about the 2001 Ford Escape (1%) mention seat belt won't latch or retract. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2001 Ford Escape?
There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2001 Ford Escape
Stalling 236Loss of power 65ABS 56Fire or smoke 48Check engine light 36Power steering loss 35Fuel smell 29Transmission failure 28Door locks 24Brake failure 22Ball joint 21Adaptive cruise 20No deployment 20Sudden acceleration 20Airbag light 17Grinding brakes 17Hesitation 15Engine failure 14Wipers 12Won't start 12Harsh shifting 9Jerking 8Won't shift 8Tire blowout 8Fuel pump 7Headlights 7Shudder 7Steering lock-up 7Pulling 6Warning lights 6Knocking 5
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