Tl*- the contact stated that while attempting to drive the 1997 ford explorer with 134800 failure mileage the driver's front seat belt failed. The seat beltwas difficult to buckle and would unlatch while driving . The vehicle has not been taken to a dealer ,and the vehicle had not been repaired. The current mileage was 135000.
1997 Ford Explorer seat belts complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 54, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Dt*: the contact stated all 5 seatbelt buckles failed to release properly. The front left and front right buckles failed to release and the belts had to be cut to release the occupants. An independent service dealer replaced the seatbelts. The service dealer and manufacturer were contacted. The consumer stated the seat belts do not disengage. Updated 12/01/06.
Several problems with this auto, it seems to be falling apart. The driver side seat belt no longer latches. We have to loop the driver side through the passenger side. It appears this is an issue with several of these models. This is a serious safety hazard and seat belts are mandatory by law. Is there anything being done? The left turn indicator has had electrical issues for years. It makes a zzzz sound and no longer works. I am also down to only one door that the key works on. That is the back lift. The door key had not worked on the driver side for years, then the passenger side went. I have the same heat problem the others are having. You either get full on heat and have to turn it on and off when it gets too hot or you get partial AC, always a little warm. Both the AC and heat has been serviced, the problem is in the switch somewhere. And now the reason I'm writing is I have major electrical problems. Fuses and solinoids have been looked at, there are no longer lights in the dash area. The lights on alarm (ding ding ding ding) remains on when the car is off, the keys out and the door shut which has drained my battery completly. I have jumped started it twice and now it sits in my driveway because it will cost a fortune to have the electrical looked at. If this is an issue with anyone else it should be reported to ford. Not only can I no longer drive this car, it would be totally unsafe to use it. I need 4wheel drive just to get out of my driveway in winter and have no idea how I'm going to come up with the money for all these repairs. Please advise if there are any recalls that address these issues. The incident date I listed below is for the time the seatbelt started to fail completly. We were on a vacation trip!
Seat belt buckle latch mechanism has failed for the drivers seat in my 1997 ford 4 door 4x4 explorer
Driver side seat belt fails to stay latched, or sometimes becomes unlatched with drivers forward body motion (extend line of sight, change radio/climate settings, turn on lights, etc.). As a result, the seat belt is not a reliable safety restraint. I am having problems find a replacement part.
Driver side seat belt buckle fails to lock when clip is inserted or sometimes appears to lock but comes unlock if occupant takes a breath.
The driver side seat belt buckle assembly malfunctioned and failed to lock. The latch plate did not lock in the buckle. This rendered the seat belt inoperative.
The driver's shoulder harness will not unbuckle. I would like to know if there have been similiar problems reported to the federal safety agency. The local ford dealer has special ordered the part (fmc f87z 7861203 aaa).
In a roll over crash consumer's daughter was killed due to rear seat belt buckle disconnecting, and she was ejected from front windshield.
Seat belts in back seat and speed control will not cancel after being set. A lady had latch her seat belt in the right rear seat,and it would not release had to cut the belt to get her out.
Driver's seat belt buckle failed to unlatch. The consumer had to use a screw driver to pry it open. *ak *scc
Consumer states vehicle was involved in a collision, driver's side seat belt did not restrain occupant. As a result, driver sustained massive head injuries. Dealer notified.
While driving the vehicle her son 11 years old got the rear seat belt tangle around his neck and body and starting to tight around his neck. Please provide further information. Ts
The driver's side seat belt buckle mechanism failed, causing the seat belt to unhook with just a slight amount of force. Prior to this failure, the belt would come loose on occasion, I thought this was do to my failure to properly hook the belt into the buckle. It appears that this is a gradual failure of a critical safety item, that for quite some time would have failed to protect the driver in a crash as it would have failed to hold the seatbelt. The danger of this is that after it fails, it sometimes works and sometimes does not, which could put the driver at danger as they won't know the seatbelt won't stay connected in a crash. I have the defective part in my possession, I will forward it to you if you request me to. Dt
Rear seatbelt will not stay locked. It to would be hard to keep child seat locked in properly. Dealer notified.
No summary listed for above vehicle.
When it's cold outside vehicle hesitates to start.*ak consumer adds that the seat belt locked in place on passenger side, consumer's child was locked in and could not get out, seat belt had to be cut in order to release child; ignition locked up and would not crank for 2 hours.
Seat belt locked up on passenger's side,had to cut belt to remove infant. Contacted dealer. Dealer refused to do anything.
Well, the first thing that stopped working was the thermostat, then the window regulator and seat bealt, I went to the dealer and just to see the problem I was charged 160usd . I think it's unfair but they said I had to pay and nothing was done to the car. The tires were replaced at sears because I was scared and simply replaced them 4 months after I bought the car. I called the dealer and firestone recall but they are now asking for a dot code in which sears did not give me. Now I am only asking to please try to refund something. I will never buy a ford vehicle because they give too many problems and the dealer gets away with problems in which they need to fix because they are factory problems. *ak (tiresize: 15inches)
After parking vehicle consumer could not unbuckle seat belt. Consumer had to cut seat belt to finally get out of vehicle.
Passenger's side front seat belt does not release when seat belt button is pushed to disengage.
Passenger restraint did not release at the buckle or restraint. Owner had to cut restraint to release passenger. Dealer and manufacturer have been notified and neither accepts fault or liability of failed part.
Driver's side seatbelt would not release. Consumer had to use scissors to cut seatbelt off. Consumer has contacted dealer. *ak also, the ignition assembly unit failed and the back seat latch was missing.
I was unable to release my child from his seat belt. When everyone else failed to be able to release the child, I carried the vehicle (with the child still constrained) to the dealer. The dealer's body shop had to remove the bolts from the roof of the vehicle to release the child. If there had been as accident and a fire, the child would have perished because the seat belt was jammed and would not allow for release.
Consumer has a child safety seat in the rear middle, when a person sits next to the child safety seat and buckles their seat belt, the release is on the side of the restraint and the child safety seat prevents access to the release, in an emergency the release would be impossible to get to and the consumer would like the design of the seat belt releases changed.
Tire placard is not required in SUV's, owners are advised to take SUV to a shipping company or an inspection station to get the vehicle's correct weight.
Driver's side seat belts failed to release/retract to be used. Also, will not retract if able to release them. Took to dealer & mechanic indicated problem was not repairable.
Seat belt catch released when extreme side impact on front passenger side.
Consumer was stuck in the car because seat belt would not unlatch enroute to dealer. Provide further details.
Vehicle experiencing ongoing problem with fuel vapor smell coming inside the vehicle. Dealer notified, and was unable to locate the problem. Also, seat moves back and forth, and driver's shoulder belt would not latch properly. Dealer notified.
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