Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | |||||
| 12925 | 07/01/1999 | 614752 | Engineering is reviewing passive restraint (motorized seatbelt) systems in certain vehicles. *tt | 12/13/2000 | |
| 001204 | 06/01/2000 | 613910 | Subject regarding passive restraint system service information. *tt | 09/21/2000 | |
| 00124 | 06/12/2000 | 613860 | This bulletin provides revised passive restraint system information contained in the workshop manual and the electrical and vaccum troubleshooting manual (evtm). *tt | 09/20/2000 | |
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - ANCHORAGE | |||||
| 6562 | 07/01/1999 | 610688 | Brief information on passive restraint (motorized seatbelt) systems. *tt | 05/11/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | |||
| 10/01/2003 | 145347 | 1 | |
| Passenger's side front seatbelt stopped working in october 2003, driver's side seatbelt stopped working about february 2004, automatic belt retractors try to move then stop. a grinding / whirring can be heard at times. both belts are un usable. *tr | |||
| 12/19/2006 | 188000 | 2 | 05/01/2003 |
| Tl* -the contact stated that the passenger shoulder restraint and the driver's seat belt were not working in her 1993 ford escort and she discovered that it is not uncommon for her vehicle. she contacted ford motor company and they told her that the dealer can service her vehicle, but it would not be covered under the warranty. the warranty is does not cover vehicles over 5 years or 50,000 mileage. this was told to her by 1 supervisor and 2 representatives. she also experienced a buckle failure that she must repair at her own cost. *nm | |||
| 10/15/2002 | 98181 | 1 | 05/15/1997 |
| Automatic driver side seat belt failed. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 1 | 01/01/1993 | |
| Consumer states the motorized seat belt on the driver side stops midway on the track leaving the driver unrestrained. the dealer has been contacted, the consumer feels that he dealer should replace the component free of charge since it is safety related .*jb *nlm | |||
| 10/10/2001 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| I have always used the seat belts on my previous vehicles. i have been aware of the automatic shoulder harnesses but was always wary of their reliability. now that a failure has ocurred on my first encounter with them, my suspicions seem to be confirmed. the problem with this type of system is that it is probably expensive to repair and most consumers will not spend the money on a repair and just stop using it. if a system designed to protect me fails at all how can i have confidence that it will protect me if , god forbid, it has to be called upon to do so.*ak | |||
| 04/01/2001 | 06/01/2000 | ||
| Electric seatbelts do not retract to locked position when door is closed. they stay jammed in the open position, forward by the dashboard. therefore, front 3-point safety belts non-functional. american honda replaced my father's when the same thing happened. chrysler replaced my neighbor's when hers quit working. does ford have some responsibility, here?. *ak | |||
| 06/01/1999 | |||
| Passenger's side front seatbelt stopped working in june 1999, driver's side seatbelt stopped working on 1june2001, causing loss of protection. both times belts moved a few inches, then stopped.*ak | |||
| 03/21/2001 | 1 | ||
| Automatic seat belt operates correctly when door is closed,closing when door seat belt harness doesn't secure across chest. consumers states that ford, probe has same problem, and manufacturer should have a solution for escort because it is a safety issue.*ak this vehicle had the same defects as that of 1990 probe produced by the same manufacturer. *yh | |||
| Driver's shoulder harness does not retract along track. dealer has inspected vehicle, and vehicle needs a new track and motor. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2001 | |||
| Motorized seat belt does not lock, and it clicks continuously. seat light flashes. problem is occurring all the time. has not contacted dealer yet.*ak | |||
| Automatic seat belts would go half way on to track. would be difficult to get in or out of vehicle. emergency bypass would lock up. cannot turn the handle. has happened three times. been to an independent mechanic for the 1st replacement. this has happened again.*ak | |||
| 09/16/2000 | |||
| Driver had lost control of vehicle, possibly fell asleep and ran off the road , car went over enbankment and hit head-on against rocks. driver was thrown from vehicle through windshield about 30-35 feet due failure of automatic seatbelt. automatic seat belt was in forward postion on the automatic rail, and both doors were completely closed. also battery was thrown from the vehicle . defect resulted in death of driver.*ak | |||
| 12/29/1998 | 1 | 12/29/1998 | |
| The drivers side motorized shoulder belt does not travel forward when opening the door, occasionally it will go partially forward or completely forward while consumer is still seated in the vheicle. there was a recall (96s48)on the component but consumers vehicle not included due to model of vehicle. nlm | |||
| 1 | |||
| The consumers motorized shoulder belt has come off track so often the he has pulled the fuse so they would retract anymore until they were fixed. nlm | |||
| Automatic seat belts are inoperable due to defect within the electrical system. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/20/1999 | 06/27/1994 | ||
| The seat belt on the driver's side was stuck while retracting, was nearly at end of belt. can hear the motor running, but nothing was happening. *ak | |||
| 08/31/1999 | |||
| Emergency seat belt system, that suppose to retract in an accident did not work while in an head-on collision at 25 to 30 mph. dealer has not been contacted. *ak | |||
| 10/31/1998 | |||
| Had key in ignition & turned it. seat belt failed to move to restrain driver. stopped halfway in tract. failrd to go forward/backward when key was removed. taking vehicle to dealer to check & repair. *ak | |||
| 4 | 05/01/1993 | ||
| On four differnent occasions the motorized seatbelts in the front (both sides) failed. *yc | |||
| Seat belts do not disengage properly or will disengage on their own while driving. dealer has been contacted. *ak | |||
| 03/03/1998 | 1 | ||
| My seat belt broke, throwing me at 35 mph is that normal? *ak | |||
| 04/23/1999 | 1 | 10/01/1998 | |
| My automatic sholder restraint on the driver's side does not engage anymore my car has never been in an accident . the automatic belt had been giving me problems about a month before it had stopped working completely . it would take it awhile after the door had been closed for it to engage. when i tried to use the emergency handle to manually engage the shoulder buckle the crank handle turned 1/4 turn no more. the buckle will not move.i made sure to have disconnected the wire harness ,have the door fully closed and made sure the ignition was in the lock position. my shoulder harness buckle is jammed near the front of the track ,the side nearest to the hood of the car. *ak | |||
| 07/04/1998 | 5 | ||
| Driver's side seat belt fails to retract back to original position. would be out at least 3/4 of the way. belt cannot be released. the motor keeps running. took fuse out & now passenger's side seat belt is not working. *ak | |||
| 11/18/1998 | 1 | ||
| Driver's motor belt derailer cable came out of tract. belt was locked in position at bottom & would not release. can hear motor whinning. the motor had jammed & then burned out. (ie98074) ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Seat belt tract failed causing the motor belt to run back and fourth. | |||
| 05/01/1993 | |||
| The driver's and passenger's side automatic shoulder seat belts will not retract when closing door. *ak | |||
| Driver's side automatic shoulder harness has jammed within the retracting mechanism, causing the seat belt to become inoperable. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/01/1998 | |||
| When getting into the vehicle and opening the door the seat belt will go down, and when seating in the seat/ shutting the door, the seat belt will get stuck on the consumer's chest. the consumer took the vehicle to the shop, and the dealer put oil on the tracks. seat belts worked for a week, and curretntly the seat belt motor went out. *ak | |||
| 08/15/1998 | |||
| Motor belts jammed at 3/4 way at the top of the door area. dealer notified,and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer. *ak | |||
| 10/13/1998 | |||
| The automatic shoulder belt on the driver's side came off the track. the assembly was replaced in march of 96 by the dealership for the same problem at owner's expense. *ak | |||
| 04/15/1998 | 0 | ||
| Rear automatic seat belt was broken, and mechanic removed the seat belt. did not replace it with another. now rides around without a rear seat belt. *ak | |||
| 04/03/1998 | 1 | ||
| Driver's seat belt failed. | |||
| 11/11/1997 | 1 | 11/20/1996 | |
| Track assemply for seat belt failure. | |||
| The driver's side motorized seat belt no longer runs on the track and cannot be used. *ak | |||
| 06/19/1997 | |||
| Motorized seat belt:put head up against door the belt slid and then released belt buckle, hit against the head. strap wrapped around the front of neck. consumer feels this is very dangerous, especially if it happened to a child. *ak | |||
| 02/01/1997 | 1 | 08/01/1993 | |
| Electrical seat belt is stuck in track halway. does not move. due to this defect the seat belt does not restraint the consumer in a safety manner. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1996 | 1 | 05/01/1993 | |
| The drivers and front passengers automatic seat belt no longer runs on the track and the wire is exposed. *ak *jb | |||
| 04/25/1997 | 0 | ||
| Driving at approxmately 50 mph the consumer slammed on brakes to avoid an accident, the seat belt broke from the top of the shoulder strap, causing the consumer to hit the steering wheel with chest. driver sustained injuries. *ak | |||
| 12/11/1996 | 1 | 07/11/1994 | |
| Power seat belt system that is mounted under the driver's seat shorted out and caused burns to the under side of seat. | |||
| 01/15/1997 | 3 | ||
| Owner's motorized seat belts are not working. *ak | |||
| 01/27/1997 | 1 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Motorized seat belts inoperative. | |||
| 01/20/1996 | 10/01/1993 | ||
| The automatic shoudler belt on the driver's side will sometimes get stuck in the middle of the retractor. also, sometimes while driving the belt will go back and forth on the retractor. the problem will be corrected on 1/31/97. *ak | |||
| 1 | 10/20/1993 | ||
| Motorized seat belt on driver side is locked in the open position. | |||
| 11/01/1996 | 1 | 11/01/1992 | |
| Automatic seat belt failure. *ak | |||
| 05/10/1996 | 0 | ||
| Dirvers motorbelt won't retract occasionally, passengers motorbelt doesn't lock on hard stops. *dh | |||
| 01/22/1996 | 2 | ||
| Drivers motorbelt will not retract. *dsh | |||
| 10/01/1995 | 1 | ||
| Passengers motorbelt stopped working. | |||
| When weather is cold drivers side motorized seat belts do not react. *ak | |||
| 12/21/1995 | |||
| Driver's side automatic seat shoulder belt failure, erratic operation of shoulder belt. tt | |||
| Passive restraint fails to engage once ignition is activated. belts repaired (6) times w/condition reoccuring. please describe details. tt | |||
| 07/01/1995 | 2 | 10/01/1992 | |
| Motorized shoulder harness are inoperative, won't activate towards driver/pass. tt consumer states there are multiple fuse outages caused by an internal electrical problem. *slc | |||
| Motorized seat belts are sticking. tt | |||
| 07/14/1995 | |||
| Motorized seat belt snapped from the retractor connection during accident. tt | |||
| 09/01/1994 | |||
| Passenger and driver seat belts are erratic when car is started. tt | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT | |||
| 11/08/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that the front seat belts are inoperable. dealer notified said track and motor is defective. ts | |||
| 02/16/2000 | 06/01/1999 | ||
| Even though i did not have an accident in relation to this problem, doesn't not comfort me.there is a good possibility that i could have a large amount of damage done to myself if i was in a car accident.in fact, when i was in a car accident in april, i probably wouldn't have received back injuries. i did had i been able to have it on with my lap belt. mostly, i'm just wondering if anyone else is experiencing my problem.*ak | |||
| 9 | |||
| Seat (shoulder strap) will not retract forward when door is opened, does not alway retract back, lap belt has broken twice, replace once, lap belt sometimes get stuck, buzzer goes off when the back doors opens which is not suppose to happen. | |||
| 11/26/1993 | |||
| Driver side stop slot for lap belt broken. | |||
| 07/01/1995 | 10/24/1992 | ||
| Ingition switch and motorized shoulder belts failure. | |||
| 1 | 11/18/1993 | ||
| Failure or sticking of seat belt motor, dealer oiled the unit and the motor completely failed within a year. | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - ANCHORAGE | |||
| 12/14/2002 | 1 | 09/15/1997 | |
| My son was killed in an auto accident. he was the driver. the shoulder harness broke loose from the door frame. his car was a 1993 ford escort with automatic shoulder harness. the shoulder harness assembly stayed in the door frame, but the part that holds the shoulder harness in the unit broke. ts | |||
| 09/30/2002 | 1 | 11/01/2092 | |
| Fuel tank leaking at hose fitting. crack in plastic tank. no replacement available due to many failures. bought car new and it has never been in a wreck. seat belts fail to retract in rear seat compartment. dealer fixed twice for the same problem. car is now out of warranty. mr | |||
| 12/01/2001 | 1 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2001 | 4 | 05/01/1996 | |
| Seat belts on driver side, passenger side and rear passenger have totally failed. ford says the the car is outside the 50,000 mile warranty and therefore not obligated for the failure. estimates range at $1100.00 to replace all the seat belts. this is unacceptable. a vital component has failed therefore ford should pay the replacement cost before injuries occur and questions of liability arise in a court of law. *ak | |||
| 1 | 03/19/1996 | ||
| The passenger and driver's side restraint belt is sticking, the lap belt on the driver's side won't come up for the consumer to fasten, sometimes the shoulder restraints come forward when they shouldn't. *slc | |||
| 06/01/1999 | 2 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Both right and left shoulder seat belts have seperated from the track and motorized assembly. seat belts will are not secured properly to vehicle. contacted ford in june 2000 and requested repair. ford declined to repair seat belts without charging the customer. this is a severe safety hazard and i have noted many ford escorts with similar problems. also, there are many complaints listed from other escort owners on your website. please investigate this safety hazard. | |||
| 04/23/1998 | 09/01/1993 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 10/15/1998 | 1 | 05/01/1993 | |
| Could you tell me if there is a recall on the items i submitted the key cylinder/ingition and the passive restraint motor. | |||
| 09/15/1999 | 4 | 04/01/1995 | |
| The automatic seat belt carrier gets stuck mid-way in the track on the driver's side. the motor tries to move it about every 15 seconds but ususally does not get it loose. i have been able to get it loose when it does lock into place, but sometimes was unable to use the seatbelt during operation of the vehicle. | |||
| 09/11/1996 | 2 | 11/01/1992 | |
| Ford takes no responsibily, possibility of inoperability in an accident situation is probable | |||
| 07/10/1995 | 1 | 10/01/1992 | |
| Motorized seat belt system failure. | |||
| 12/24/1998 | 2 | ||
| Ford customer service says no warranty per mrs. mignon id#6311. no safety defect indicated. *ak | |||
| 08/12/1998 | 1 | 08/01/1998 | |
| Two dealers were contacted. at one dealer i was told that the same thing happened to someone else the day before. total cost for me comes to over $400. a seatbelt is a critical safety component of the car and should be backed by the company for life of vehicle. the ford dealership told me that | |||
| 11/29/1998 | 3 | 11/01/1992 | |
| I have no children and only rarely use the rear seat belts, within the last 30 days i have transported a friend's child in a child carrier less than ten times. on three occasions a seat belt has fully released and was unable to be rewound until now all three are fully extended. since i have never used these belts i do not understand the problem. the front seatbelts work well but have lost their plastic floor guides due to breakage. | |||
| 11/01/1998 | 40 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Description- the automatic seatbelt that runs on a track and moves forward when the door is opened and moves into locking position when door is closed and vehicle ignition is on. this device has failed temporarily in the past but corrected itself after opening and closing the door a few times. the seatbelt has also locked on occasion while retracting, resulting in suffacating the driver or passenger. this time the device stopped in mid track. the electric motor is trying to move it, but apparentley it is jamned in place in the track. the seatbelt is stuck about 5 inches from it's forward position, providing no protection at all. i contacted ford motor company and they said that the vehicle is out of warrenty and therefore they will not fix any safety devices. we had the same problem on a 1991 mercury tracer. my sister was involved in an accident in that vehicle and was injured when the safety restraint device did not function properly. | |||
| 08/24/1998 | 1 | 01/31/1996 | |
| I do not know the type of seat belt. i do know that it operates electrically as it's use is connected with a fuse. at the time of the accident it did not contain the driver of the car, and after the accident(when the car was turned on) the window part of the shoulder belt went forward and backwards repeatedly. you could not drive with this distraction so it was necessary to disconnect the fuse and drive with the lap belt only. we believe in the benefits of using seat belts and i thus feel very unsafe in this car now. no do i know the component. | |||
| 08/13/1995 | 3 | ||
| Seat belt failed to restrain occupant during collision. *sd | |||
| 03/01/1995 | 1 | ||
| Seat belt failed during accident, resulting in death. (attorney for client) *aw | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/15/2004 | 1 | ||
| Female end of elr lap belt spontainiously stopped latching. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1993 | |||
| My rear seat belts came off the buckles were right in my grandchild's hand.one i did'nt think was too bad but two did the same think i contacted jakk adkins and ford mtr boyh told me that the car wasn't under warrantee so they would't do anything about it i had them replaced and the garage told me that they were never sewn under the seat i have the straps and there are no stitch marks .where the buckles came off it looks like the thread just gave away anyinformatio will be appreciatedet. *ak | |||
| 01/21/2000 | |||
| Seatbelt failure investigated by officer mike sedam #14760, california highway patrol central division multidisciplinary accident investigation team. case number: cl-007-00. contact number: (559)277-7250. lap portion of passive restrain system was not being worn. forces involved in the rollover collision caused sufficient stress to the passive restraint latch to break the internal latching mechanism. *ak | |||
| 07/16/1997 | 0 | ||
| Was driving about 35 mph in rainy weather, rds greasy like, started applying brakes; they locked up; vehicle skidded; hit another vehicle. seat belts on driver's/passenger's unlocked. passenger flew under dashboard; driver hit steering wheel w/chest. have not taken to dealer. *ak | |||
| 06/12/1997 | 0 | ||
| Stopped & put into park; shoulder/seat belt failed to release; suddenly it popped out & hit driver in head & entangled in hair; cable was hanging & moving back/forth; can hear noise & finally messed up air conditioner. *ak | |||
| 04/15/1995 | |||
| Driver's lap belt release button stuck trapping occupant inside vehicle; took approximately 3 minutes to release button. tt | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - RETRACTOR | |||
| 06/01/1994 | 6000 | 1 | 09/29/1992 |
| In 1992 i bought a brand new 1993 escort gt spartanburg, sc. the 1st part of the year everything was fine. after, the car was in and out of the shop to date for hesitation, fuel system problems, odd noises and other things. i filed for lemon law in 1993-94 in texas. was told they would replace the motor, could take up to a month before i got the car back. when asked if they would supply a loaner car i was told no. without finances to rent a car to get to & from work (50 mls daily) i could not accept the offer at that time without them providing transportation. over the years, it's been 1 problem after another. since 1994, i replaced 3 catalytic converters, numerous diagnostic machines to find why it would stall in idle and no acceleration after car warmed up& other things. in 1995, the fuel tank developed a crack at solder joint between the fuel return & the fuel pump sending unit located at top of tank resulting in fumes & gas leaking when filled. three ford dealerships said only 1992 ford escorts were included in the recall for this problem and there was nothing they could do even though it was manufactured in 1992. the automatic seat belt, driver side quit working. we replaced it with a new one but still won't work. something wrong with the wiring. two ford dealerships can't fix nor two auto electricians. i contacted ford again under lemon law, they told me it was a one time offer. since i refused the first offer, there was nothing they could do. recommended i sell the car and buy another one. i can not possibly put these problems on someone else? this was totally unethical. ive been loyal to ford since in my teens. this is my 2nd ford escort & my first/only new vehicle i ever owned. i still have the car & would really like ford to do right by me in this situation. *jb | |||
| 12/15/2003 | 27000 | 1 | 12/23/1995 |
| Consumer's vehicle has motorized seat belts. the belt will tighten inadvertently, feeling as if consumer was being choked. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and was informed that the repairs will cost $400.00. *ak....also, front fender and middle of the vehicle above the fender is peeling paint, and check engine light comes on while driving and goes off when stepping on the brakes at stop sign or traffic light or whenever consumer applies the brakes. *ak | |||
| 01/07/2000 | 0 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Driver's side seat belt was making a clicking noise. seat belt would not go back into restraint. it just stuck, and consumer was not restrained. *ak *ml | |||
| Driver's side seat belt will not retract, making it impossible use seat belts. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 10/20/1998 | |||
| Driver side seat belt clamp wore off, sealt belt unable to fasten properly. dealer notified and informed consumer to replace the part. *ak | |||
| 01/01/1997 | |||
| Ie 98074. driver's seat belt is stuck and won't retract. starts to grind like if it will work. dealer contacted and stated repairs will be approximately $300. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak | |||
| 01/28/1998 | |||
| Also on 1992 escort. on both of these vehicles,the driver's side seatbelt system does not retract properly, which won't protect the occupant in event of an accident. please provide further information and both vin#. *ak | |||
| 10/10/1997 | 08/28/1993 | ||
| Seat belts no longer retract back and fourth when opening and closing the door. the dealer is aware of the problem. the problem has not been corrected. *ak | |||
| 06/02/1998 | |||
| Seat belt stays forward and will not go back. sometimes it will get stuck and not tighten. seat belt is defective. dealer contacted and replaced the track, and problem still exists. also, found that a switch in the door latch is defective, and part is not covered in the warranty. *ak | |||
| 09/04/1997 | 4 | 05/01/1993 | |
| While getting into vehicle passenger's seat belt fell out of track on door. had dealer repair the problem twice before. driver's side seat belt is not out of door, but its too close to neck area that it chokes driver. *ak | |||
| 01/11/1997 | |||
| Driver's lap/shoulder over retracted, causing the driver to be cut out of the seat. *ak | |||
| 01/24/1996 | |||
| The drivers side automatic seatbelt no longer retracts automatically. please describe. tt | |||
| 11/08/1995 | |||
| The drivers side seatbelt did not tighten on impact. please describe. tt | |||
| 05/01/1995 | |||
| Lap/shoulder belt in the rear on the driver will not retract and front driver side will not retract. tt | |||
| 10/02/1994 | |||
| Driver side seatbelt automatic retractor does not work. tt | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - WEBBING | |||
| 12/01/2000 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| Operable shoulder harness failed. dealer charged for replacement. *ak | |||
| 01/15/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Driver shoulder belt stuck half-way and not locked. while at dealer another owner came in with identical problem with 1993 escort. dealer said he saw the same problem the previous day with 1995 escort. dealer will fix at owner's cost. estimate was $350.00.*ak | |||
| 05/12/1999 | |||
| Shoulder belt is broken, and manufacturer is aware of problem. *ak | |||
| 06/19/1996 | 1 | 06/01/1994 | |
| While vehicle was in accident, the driver's side shoulder belt came apart from it's mounting, also the seat slid forward/failed. | |||
| 06/19/1996 | |||
| Passive restraints. vehicle parked at a light,vehicle came up in rear , hit vehicle in front, lock came loose and the shoulder strap just came apart. | |||
| 06/19/1996 | 1 | 06/01/1994 | |
| When rearended, the shoulder portion of the seatbelt pulled away from the car and did not protect the occupant. *ak | |||
| 09/30/1995 | |||
| Was rear ended and pushed into another car, seat broke and seat belt did not restrain. tt | |||
| 06/01/1995 | 1 | ||
| The shoulder harness connector is too close to the ear/shoulder belt fits across neck, open door to get out and connector hits head. 8ak | |||
| SEAT BELTS - REAR | |||
| 09/30/2002 | 35000 | 2 | 11/01/1992 |
| Fuel tank leaking at hose fitting. crack in plastic tank. no replacement available due to many failures. bought car new and it has never been in a wreck. seat belts fail to retract in rear seat compartment. dealer fixed twice for the same problem. car is now out of warranty. *mr *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*768008 | |||
| 06/01/1994 | 1 | ||
| Rear seat belts failed twice. *dsh | |||