1995 Ford Escort

WHEN I REMOVED MY FOUR YEAR OLDS SAFETY SEAT TO CONVERT IT TO A BOOSTER SEAT, I DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT IN THE REAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE NO LONGER RETRACTED. THE ONE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE STOPPED RETRACTING APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST $430.00 TO REPLACE BOTH SEAT BELTS. WHAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT THESE WERE NOT OVERLY USED SEAT BELTS. ONE SEAT BELT HAD A CAR SEAT STRAPPED INTO IT FOR 4 YEARS. HAD I NOT BEEN CONVERTING THE CAR SEAT, I WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF SEAT BELTS THAT WERE FAILING, AND NOT FROM EXCESSIVE USE I MIGHT ADD, MY CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. *AKY

THIS WAS MY MOTHER'S CAR-PEARL LEE. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY DIED-2MONTHS LATER. IN THE ACCIDENT SHE WAS REAR ENDED YET HER SEAT BELT BROKE AND HER SEAT WAS SLAMMED BACKWARDS INTO THE BACK SEAT. HER HEAD SLAMMED INTO THE DASH AND SHE WAS KNOCKED OUT. I BELIEVE THE FAULT WAS PROBABLY IN THE SEAT BELT AND SEAT TRACK. SHE WAS NOT DRIVING FAST OR RECKLESS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY STATE FARM IN DECATUR ILLINOIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SEAT BELTS IN REAR, RESTRAINING CHILDREN, WOULD MAKE RETCHING NOISES BEFORE JAMMING. TOP OF SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER CHILD HAS LEANED FORWARD QUICKLY BECAUSE THE BELT IS LOOSE. BEEN REPAIRED TWICE ON BOTH SIDES. PARTS WERE BACK AN ORDER, AND DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR IT. *AK CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT FAILED 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. *YH

THE SPRINGS ACTUALLY BROKE INTO PIECES, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE BECAUSE OF THE THICKNESS OF THE SPRINGS - TRANSMISSION ONLY WENT OUT AT 82,000 MILE, WHICH IS ALSO HARD TO BELIEVE. BUT AFTER SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO REPAIR THEM, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FORD ESCORT TRANSMISSIONS USUALLY GO OUT AT 60,000 MILES. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND FORD IS AWARE OF THIS SITUATION. THE PERSON WHO IS REPLACING MY TRANSMISSION AT THIS TIME IS GOING TO BEING ON HIS 5TH FORD ESCORT WITHIN IN A WEEK ESTIMATING THE MILEAGE INFROMATION OF BEING REPLACED BETWEEN 54,000 AND 85,000 MILES. WHY CAN THIS NOT BE A RECALL???? PLEASE ADVISE. *AK

DRIVER MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT FAILED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. THIS EFFECTIVLY ELIMINATED THE SAFETY FEATURE OF THE SHOULDERBELT FOR A THREE WEEK PERIOD WHILE THE PART WAS ORDERED. ACCORDING TO NHSTA ON-LINE STATISTICS, FAILURE OF A PAT OF THE MOTORIZED SHOLDERBELT SYSTEM IS THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED PART FAILURE ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE. BEING MY PROFESSION IS SAFETY, I AM CONCERNED THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN WITH THIS PART BROKEN, DRIVERS MAY NOT GET IT REPAIRED. I ALSO FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THIS FAILURE INSTEAD OF THE CONSUMER. *AK

AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE IN JAN OF 96' I HAD TO HAVE THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE SAFETLY SEAT BELT REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY). SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT REPLACED (WHICH WAS PUT IN WRONG). I WILL BE RETURNING TO HAVE THAT ONE FIXED AT THEIR EXPENSE. BUT NOW THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THESE SEAT BELTS CONTINUALLY MALFUNCTION. WHY IS IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE A SEAT BELT EVERY THREE YEARS? BEFORE THIS IS ALL OVER WITH I WILL HAVE HAD TO PUT IN FOUR NEW SEAT BELTS IN A CAR THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ONLY 4 1/2 YEARS. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. IT WAS STUCK TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE RAIL. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM MOVE THE ANCHOR BACK SO I COULD AT LEAST USE MY SEAT BELT. THE MECHANIC COMPLETELY REMOVED ALL COMPONENTS; RAIL, ANCHOR, AND MOTOR. I CAN ONLY USE THE LAP BELT NOW, AND NOT THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT. IT IS STATE LAW IN OHIO TO HAVE SHOULDER RESTRAINTS. I AM ALSO AFRAID OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THEIR MISTAKE OF $700. I HAD REPORTED IT TO THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP, BUT HE SAID THEY HAD TO DO IT. I NEVER GAVE MY PERMISSION TO REMOVE THE ASSEMBLY. I HAVE THE ASSEMBLY IN MY POSSESSION. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS MATTER. PLEASE HELP. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/60/15 )