1995 Ford Escort

MY PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT IS STUCK IN A POSITION SO THAT IT CANNOT BE USEFUL AT ALL IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS STUCK ALL THE WAY FORWARD SO THAT IT DOESN'T TOUCH THE PASSENGER AT ALL. ALSO, THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOULDER BELT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY "STOP" TO IT - I WORRY IN AN ACCIDENT IT WOULDN'T HOLD ME IN. I CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THIS IN TO GET IT FIXED AND WOULD LIKE FORD TO FIX IT FOR FREE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING CONTINUOUSLY IN THE 6 MONTHS I'VE HAD THE CAR. *JB

BOTH FRONT SEAT RETRACTOR MOTORS/TRACKS HAVE FAILED, RESULTING IN FRONT SEAT BELTS INOPERABLE. BELTS STUCK IN PARTIAL RETRACTED MODE RESULTING IN SHOULDER BELTS NOT CORRECTLY POSITIONED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN DRIVER OR FRONT PASSENGER. ONE BELT IS POSITIONED IF USED WOULD COME ACROSS THE SEATED PERSON'S NECK. IF THIS WHERE A MANUAL SEATBELT SYSTEM THERE WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO MANUALLY LOCK THE SHOULDER BELT IN THE PROPER POSITION DUE TO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM EMPLOYED IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S FAILURE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IT HAD 90158 ACTUAL MILES. THE USED CAR DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF "SALVAGE" PARTS SINCE THE EXPENSE OF REPAIRING THE SEAT BELTS BY "FORD" WOULD EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS BY TALKING WITH THE REPAIR DEPARTMENTS AT SEVERAL FORD DEALERS IN THE AREA. TALKING WITH A NUMBER INDEPENDANT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA THIS IS A "COMMON PROBLEM" WITH THESE VEHICLES, HOWEVER FORD WILL NOT HONOR REPAIR OF THIS "SAFETY" ISSUE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THIS IS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM. I HAVE OBSERVED THAT YOUR SITE HAS AN NUMBER OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF NHTSA CONSIDERS THIS A "PASSENGER SAFETY ISSUE" REQUIRING A RECALL, OR DOES DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY HAVE TO OCCUR BEFORE AN ACTION IS TAKEN? SEVERAL COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON LINE THAT BECAUSE HIS IS A "PASSENGER SAFETY ISSUE" INVOLVING A "REQUIRED SAFETY COMPONENT" THAT FORD IS OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT WHTHER OR NOT UNDER WARRENTY WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER AS LONG AS THE ITEM WAS NOT DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT OR SUBJECTED TO IMPROPER USE OR REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO CARFAX HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WAS UNDER 100000 MILES, THE LIMIT OF FORD'S GENERAL WARRANTY.*AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER HARNESS HAS FAILED AND NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. IT LOCKED IN THE MID-TRACK POSITION CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT DRIVING AND SAFETY HAZARD. THE BELT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 49,000 MILES BY GRASS VALLEY FORD, CA, UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS AGAIN FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER AT 98,000 MILES. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE THE RESTRAINT AFTER 50,000 MILES UNLESS THE CUSTOMER PAYS FOR IT. I GUESS THEY DON'T MIND THE LIABILITY INVOLVED WITH LAWSUITS AND INJURIES CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE BELTS. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE EVERY BROKEN SEATBELT TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM A KNOWN FAULTY DESIGN THAT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL BY NHTSA!!!*AK