1998 Toyota Sienna Seat Belts Problems

I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA LE. ALL OF THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT BACK INTO THE PANELS WITHOUT HELP FROM THE PASSENGERS. IF YOU LEAN FORWARD THEY STAY WHERE THEY ARE EXTENDED TO. I HAVE HAD THEM LOOKED AT AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE RETURN SPRINGS HAVE ALL RELAXED. THIS IS THE 4TH TOYOTA AUTOMOBILE I HAVE OWNED AND ALL OF THEM HAVE DONE THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CAN BE SAFE? *TR

THE SEAT BELTS IN OUR 1998 TOYOTA SIENNA HAVE BEEN FAILING. THEY WILL NOT RETRACT. WE HAVE HAD TWO REPLACED AT OUR COST, NOW TWO MORE HAVE FAILED. I HAVE THE PARTS FROM THE SECOND BELT THAT FAILED. IT IS NOT TWISTED AND THERE IS NO FOREIGN MATERIAL IN THE BELT OR IT'S PATH. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF OUR SEAT BELTS, I TALKED OUR FRIENDS (THE MILLER FAMILY) INTO BUYING A VAN JUST LIKE OURS. THEY WERE HIT BY A RED LIGHT RUNNER MAY 29, 2005. THE SEAT BELT HOLDING THEIR THREE-YEAR-OLD SON, KYLE, FAILED AND HE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS KILLED INSTANTLY. THE REST OF THE FAMILY WALKED AWAY FROM THE CRASH. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FAILURE OF OUR SEAT BELTS. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS FROM OTHER OWNERS (ON THE INTERNET). PLEASE HELP TO HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE. AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE BELTS AT THEIR COST. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING OUT THE LEFT MIDDLE ROW SEAT BELT STRAP OF THE RETRACTOR, THE MATERIAL WAS FRAYING INTO. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT SECOND ROW SEAT BELT AND THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT BELT STRAP COMPLETELY DISENGAGED FROM THE RETRACTOR. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE DEALER, WHO INSISTED THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/30/2006. *AK

SEAT BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE DUE TO FAILING MECHANISM. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE SPRING.*AK

FRONT SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WHEN BUCKLED, GOES OFF WHEN UNBUCKLED. NOT SURE IF SEATBELT WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY IN A CRASH. DEALER CHARGED $92 TO DIAGNOSE AND QUOTED $375 TO REPLACE WHOLE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY. I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS LIGHT SO I FELT I SHOULD REPORT IT.*AK

SEAT BELT LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPLACED SYSTEM WHICH HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED AND THE WARNING LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATES. *JB

SEAT BELT.

DRIVER SEAT BELT FAILED. *YC

REAR SEAT BELT FAILED. *YC

THE SHOULDER BELTS IN THE MIDDLE ROW LOCK UP INSTANTLY WHEN FIRST PUT ON BY THE PASSENGER. THE BELT STAYS LOCKED UP AND BINDS THE PASSENGER(S) IN THE SEAT. THE LEFT SIDE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE SEAT BELT. THE BELT CONTINUNES TO LOCK UP. *AK