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1997 Toyota Corolla: seat belt won't latch or retract

18 of the 135 complaints about the 1997 Toyota Corolla describe seat belt won't latch or retract.

owner complaints
18
of this car's complaints
13%
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below

Seat belt won't latch or retract by model year

What owners say

Filed Dec 21, 2006 · Seat belts · AL

Front seat belts lock after several attempts to pull out the seat belt it finally locks. Had seat belt replaced several times and keeps repeating. I feel this should be a recall after reading the numerous logs about this very problem.

Filed Feb 2, 2006 · Seat belts · WI

Front passenger seat belt retractor locks preventing use of seat belt.

Filed Mar 15, 2004 · Seat belts · IL · 1 injury

Driver's seat belt will not come out of holder often, must pull repeatedly to get unit to release. Once you get the seat belt on it locks often making it impossible for me to turn to see rear traffic. ?

Filed Feb 28, 2004 · Seat belts · 50,000 miles · PA

Front driver's side seat belt will not disengage from retractor. Not only is this a safety issue but it is illegal to drive in this (and most) state(s) without wearing a seat belt. Numerous complaints on this issue have been reported. I believe toyota owes it to the consumer to repair this unsafe and illegal problem many driver's are experiencing with this particular vehicle make/model.

Filed Mar 27, 2003 · Seat belts · CA

Seat belt retractors sticks constantly.

Filed Nov 10, 2001 · Seat belts · AZ

Driver's side seat belt retractor sticks intermittently; after several pulls on belt, seat belt finally gets buckled; always, when unbuckling seat belt, it does not retract fully into holder.

Filed Sep 14, 2000 · Seat belts · WI

Drivers seat belt gets locked easily. Unable to pull seat belt out to apply at times. While driving vehicle the seat belt will lock and restrict movement. There is no pattern to when seat belt lock and when it works. When I bring it into a dealer it always seems to work fine at the time so no repairs are made. There have been several complaints from other owners that this is a defect and I feel it should be address as it is a liability issue.

Filed Feb 23, 2000 · Seat belts · VA

Driver's seat belt will not come out of holder often, must pull repeatedly to get unit to release. Once you get the seat belt on it locks often making it impossible for me to turn to see rear traffic. I have barely avoided accidents 3 times due to this. You never know when the belt will lock. My life is in danger driving this car, toyota says this is a safety feature and I don't need to turn my body in order to see rear traffic. Shelor says they can't duplicate problem. Come drive this car and you will see instantly. Who can solve this before I am killed?

Filed Jan 20, 2000 · Seat belts · GA

Driver's seat belt failed come out of retractor. Driver lifted without retraints. Dealer notified and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer.

Filed Dec 26, 1999 · Seat belts · CA

Seatbelt locks up when trying to put on. Takes several minutes of trying to pull seat belt before it will loosen enough to be used.

Filed Nov 29, 1999 · Seat belts · CA

Driver's side shoulder belt does not retract all the way, and the passenger's side seatbelt does not connect with buckle, meaning not locking up. Dealer has not seen vehicle.

Filed Nov 14, 1999 · Seat belts · CA

The right rear seatbelt has failed to retract 4 separate times, I have contacted manufacturer, but received minimal help. I have concerns about vehicles safety and am pursuing a lemon law case against them. I have even more concerns after seeing the number of problems that have been reported that seem almost identical to my problems.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 1997 Toyota Corolla seat belt

Is seat belt won't latch or retract a common problem on the 1997 Toyota Corolla?

18 of 135 owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Corolla (13%) mention seat belt won't latch or retract. The model year with the most reports is 1997.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Toyota Corolla?

There are 0 recalls and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 1997 Toyota Corolla

No deployment 10Fire or smoke 6Tire blowout 6

All model years of the Toyota Corolla

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