2000 Ford Focus Seat Belts Problems

THE FORD FOCUS COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH A PLYMOUTH NEON THAT WAS ON A DARK ROADWAY WITH ITS LIGHTS OFF AFTER A PRIOR COLLISION. THE BUCKLE PRETENSIONER FOR THE FORD DRIVER FIRED, BUT THE RETRACTOR DID NOT LOCK ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO STRIKE HIS HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS MATERIAL WORN AWAY FROM THE B-PILLAR FROM THE RAPID EXTENSION OF WEBBING, AND LATCH PLATE HAD A CHANNEL CARVED INTO THE PLASTIC, WHERE THE WEBBING RAPIDLY PASSED THROUGH THE LATCH PLATE. THERE WAS NOT EVIDENCE THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY SIGNIFICANT RESTRAINING FORCE.

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER MALFUNCTIONED. SEAT BELT DID NOT FUNCTION - PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT FROM THE DOOR PILLAR AND DID NOT RETRACT. CARWAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED.*AK

SEAT BELT DOES NOT STAY SNUG AROUND MY BODY WHILE BUCKLED, BECOMES LOOSE AND DOES NOT TAKE UP ANY OF THE SLACK. WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS UNBUCKLED IT DOES NOT RECOIL, JUST LAYS THERE LIKE A DEAD SNAKE. I HAVE TO FEED THE SEAT BELT BACK INTO THE SEAT BELT TIER TO AVOID SLAMMING THE DOOR ON THE SEAT BELT. THIS SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION OCCURRED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT. I HAD TO PAY $216 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED, THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT WILLING TO COVER ITS SAFETY EQUIPMENT. *NM

THE REAR SEAT BELT IS SO SHORT IT CAN NOT BE USED. IT WILL LOCK IN CHILD SAFETY MODE WHEN SEAT IS LAID FLAT AND WILL NOT RELEASE. I HAD TO UNBOLT THE SEAT BELT TO RAISE THE SEAT UP. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WHICH WILL NOT PULL OUT. THIS HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2005. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS LOCKED. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. ALSO, THE MECHANIC TOOK THE SEAT BELT APART AND UNLOCKED IT SO THAT THE CONSUMER COULD WEAR THE SEAT BELT UNTIL THE REPLACEMENT WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE. *SC . *AK

THE REAR OUTBOARD SEATBELTS DISENGAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FORD HAS ALREADY HAD A RECALL ON THE 2001 EXPEDITION REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER BOTH HAVE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. DO TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THIS ISSUE AND THE OTHER RECALL FORD SHOULD REPLACE THESE SEATBELT LATCHES. *AK

CONSUMER STATED DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO FASTEN SEAT BELT.*AK

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT RETRACT ONCE IT WAS PULLED OUT, AND WAS NOT TO BE USED. VEHICLE WAS TAKENN TO THE DEALER, WHO SPRAYED A LUBRICANT, AND THE RETRACTOR WAS NOW WORKSING. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WILL FAIL AGAIN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND COLLIDED WITH THE RIGHT FRONT END OF THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. DURING THE COLLISION, THE DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HER RIGHT SHOULDER. *NM

REAR CENTER SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK *SC *JB

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS JAMMED AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE SEAT BELT TO BE WITHDRAWN FOR PROPER USE.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. IF PULLED OUT, IT STAYS OUT UNLESS FED BACK IN BY HAND (WHICH MUST BE DONE CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING TO KEEP IT TIGHT ON YOUR SHOULDER). I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND MOST OF THE FOCUS' THEY HAVE SOLD HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *NLM

THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT JUST HANGS AND DOES NOT RETRACT. THE DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO BUCKLE IN THE REAR SEAT BELT DUE TO THE SEAT BELT LAYING OVER THE BUCKLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT DURING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUCKLES WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY CAUSING INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

THE CENTER SEAT BELT IN REAR MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. IT FAILED AGAIN AND WAS FIXED. *YH

THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR/CENTER SEATBELT, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 5 OCCASIONS FOR VARIOUS REPAIRS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NLM

REAR FOLDING SEAT COULD NOT BE PLACED BACK UP BECAUSE LAP BELT LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT UNFASTEN. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT WAS STUCK. *YH

MIDDLE SEATBELT IN REAR DIDN'T BUCKLE UP.*AK

PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR. CONTACTED DEALER PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

REAR CENTER SEATBELT WILL NOT PULL OUT IN COLD WEATHER. DEALER HAS REPLACED SEATBELT 6 TIMES WITH ONE OF THE SAME DESIGN. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE REAR BACK/BACK VERTICAL SEAT SUPPORT GETS BENT.*SLC

SEAT BELT/SHOULDER RESTRAINT FAILED TO RESTRAIN FRONT SEAT PASSENGER IN COLLISION. AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S SEAT RESTRAINT FAILED TO HOLD PASSENGER IN SEAT. PASSENGER HIT THE WINDSHIELD.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT TAKE UP ANY SLACK IN BELT. *AK

SEATBELTS IN REAR OF VEHICLE ARE NOT LATCHING BECAUSE THEY DO NOT REACH FAR ENOUGH ACROSS TO RECEIVERS, WERE DESIGNED IMPROPERLY.*AK *SLC

SEAT BELT LATCHES BROKE, AND WILL NOT HOLD SEAT BELT. SINCE CONSUMER HAD BEEN PAYING FOR THIS VEHICLE COULD NOT COUNT ALL PROBLEMS THAT HAD BEEN HAPPENING. *AK

REAR SEAT BELT SO TIGHT, WOULD NOT WORK OR RELEASE, FINALLY, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY PULLED OUT OF BOLT FRAME.

BOTH FRONT PLASTIC HOUSING COVERS FOE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE BREAKING/FALLING APARTS. DEALER NOTIFED AND MAKING REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS:*AK

THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED DURING MANUFACTURING. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT FROM A SHOPPING CENTER TO MAKE AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN AND HIT CONSUMER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, BUT SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK OR HOLD THE DRIVER IN PLACE. DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON WINDSHIELD. *AK