1998 Dodge RAM 1500

DUE TO THE SEAT BELTS ASSEMBLY COMING APART OUR BABY SEAT BECAME LOOSE CAUSING SEAT WITH INFANT TO LUNG FORWARD UPON BRAKING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE CHRYSLER 1-800 # FOR COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS TREATED WITH A COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SUCH A CRITICAL. ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CARE OF IT THROUGH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO UPON CALLING THE 1-800# FOR CHRYSLER SERVICE TO SEE THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED BEING A SEAT BELT FAILURE, WERE REFUSED. AT THIS POINT, I JUNK YARD WHOLE SEAT BELTS AND REPLACE THEM EVERY TIME THEY FALL APART WHICH IS VERY OFTEN. I HAVE REPLACED ALL OR PART OF (4) BELT ASSEMBLIES IN THE AREA OF (9) TIMES SINCE THE DATE NOTED. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATES THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN SHE GOT IN HER CAR AND WAS PUTTING THE SEAT BELT ON, THE SHOULDER PART TIGHTENED UP THE LAP BELT AND SHE NOTICED A BOLT HOLE. THERE WAS A METAL BAR AND THE BOLT HOLE HAD BROKEN. SHE CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE TRUCK WAS A 1998 MODEL AND HAD A LOT OF MILEAGE ON IT. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. *AK (THE BELT WAS IN PROPERLY BUT THE METAL STRAP HOLDING THE SEAT BELT TO THE FLOOR HAD SHEARED AT THE BOLT HOLE WHICH WAS COMING APART) *SC

DT: BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS RETRACTOR/LOCK INTERCHANGES BUCKLE ASSEMBLY BROKE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED WHEN TRYING TO BUCKLE UP WITH THE SEAT BELTS, NO INCIDENT WHERE THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS DEFECTIVE. SPOKE TO DEALER, WHO SAID THIS WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT WAS TOLD SOME TIME AGO SAID SAFETY FEATURES WERE COVERED. HAS NOT CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AT THIS TIME. *AK

98 DODGE RAM 1500 PICK-UP. SEAT BELT FAILURE LEADING TO THE RELEASE OF INFANT CAR SEAT. CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION ONLY TO BE TREATED LIKE A CHILD AND TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK WHILE DRIVING MY PICK UP AND STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY SONS INFANT SEAT CAME LOOSE AND LUNGED FORWARD. HE WAS ABOUT1 YEAR OLD AT THE TIME AND AS A RESULT, HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE SEAT BELTS ARE DESIGNED IN A MANNER THAT THERE IS A LITTLE PEICE OF PLASTIC THAT RETAINS THE BELT PORTION, IN TURN, THIS IS WHAT RETAINS THE INFANT SEAT. BOTH MY WIFE AND I TOOK CLASSES AT THE LOCAL DEALARSHIP SO AS TO BE ABLE TO DO THE INSTALLATION CORRECTLY LONG PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. I DID TAKE THE TRUCK IN TO TRY AND HAVE THE NOW FAULTY BELTS REPLACED ONLY TO BE TURNED AWAY. I NOW HAVE TO COMB THROUGH THE LOCAL JUNK YARDS FREQUENTLY TO FIND NEW BELTS WITH ALL THE CORRECT PIECES. I STILL HAVE THE TRUCK AND ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED OF YOUR SITE. HOW CAN FAULTY SEAT BELTS BE IGNORED. CURRENTLY, BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS BELTS DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. THE DATE BELOW AND THE FOLLOWING MILAGES ARE APPROX. GUESSES. I HAVE ALSO PUT (1) FOR NUMBERED OF PERSONS INJURED, BUT IT WAS NOTHING SEVERE LUCKILY.

SEAT BELT FAILURE IN 1998 DODGE RAM--ONLY 13000 MILES, NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. I GOT IN VEHICLE ONE DAY, AND SEAT BELT WAS LOCKED IN RETRACTED POSITION--CAN NOT FREE. CURIOUSLY ENOUGH, PASSENGER SEATBELT WOULD ALSO NOT UNREEL FOR ANYONE ELSE TO USE. SIMULTANEOUS FAILURE OF BOTH SEATBELTS? I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE WHERE EVEN ON HAS DONE MORE THAT BE A LITTLE SLOW ON THE UPTAKE, BUT FOR BOTH TO FAIL OVERNIGHT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW.*AK