I STARTED UP THE VEHICLE AND THE RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT STOPPED HALF-WAY THROUGH ITS NORMAL TRACK. THE MOTOR IS AUDIBLE, HOWEVER, THE BELT CONTINUES TO STAY STATIONARY HALF-WAY THROUGH ITS TRACK. THE MOTOR IS CONSTANTLY "MAKING AN ATTEMPT" TO MOVE THE SEAT BELT THROUGH THE REST OF ITS TRACK, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE SEAT BELT LIGH…
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I STARTED UP THE VEHICLE AND THE RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT STOPPED HALF-WAY THROUGH ITS NORMAL TRACK. THE MOTOR IS AUDIBLE, HOWEVER, THE BELT CONTINUES TO STAY STATIONARY HALF-WAY THROUGH ITS TRACK. THE MOTOR IS CONSTANTLY "MAKING AN ATTEMPT" TO MOVE THE SEAT BELT THROUGH THE REST OF ITS TRACK, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT IS ON ALSO. *AK
NHTSA ODI #718640
Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2000
Seat Belts
BOTH REAR RETRACTOR BELTS WERE TWISTED ACROSS BODY, AND WAS UNABLE TO STRAIGHTEN THEM OUT. BELIEVED THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO PARTS INSTALLED BACKWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER.*AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #856331
Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2000
Seat Belts
BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE MOTOR SEAT BELTS STOPPED WORKING. DRIVER'S SIDE MOTOR STOPPED MOVING. THE SEATBELT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. SOMETIMES I GET HIT IN THE HEAD WHEN I GET OUT. THE TOOL THAT CAME WITH THE CAR TO MANUALLY MOVE THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. LUCKILY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT MOTOR …
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BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE MOTOR SEAT BELTS STOPPED WORKING. DRIVER'S SIDE MOTOR STOPPED MOVING. THE SEATBELT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. SOMETIMES I GET HIT IN THE HEAD WHEN I GET OUT. THE TOOL THAT CAME WITH THE CAR TO MANUALLY MOVE THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. LUCKILY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT MOTOR STOPPED WHEN IT WAS IN THE NORMAL POSITION. WHEN GOING FASTER THAN 45 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER JUMPS TO 70 MPH OR FASTER AND MAKES A WEIRD NOISE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #718020
Mileage unknown · Dec 24, 1999
Seat Belts
THE MOTOR DRIVEN SHOULDER HARNESS STOPPED IN A FORWARD POSITION, MAKING THE SHOULDER HARNESS UNUSABLE. IT STOPPED IN A POSITION WHERE YOU WOULD BUMP YOUR HEAD ON THE BELT LOCK AS YOU ENTERED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER ESCORT OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID TO CRASH VICTIMS OF MUCH…
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THE MOTOR DRIVEN SHOULDER HARNESS STOPPED IN A FORWARD POSITION, MAKING THE SHOULDER HARNESS UNUSABLE. IT STOPPED IN A POSITION WHERE YOU WOULD BUMP YOUR HEAD ON THE BELT LOCK AS YOU ENTERED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER ESCORT OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME FAILURE. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY PAID TO CRASH VICTIMS OF MUCH OLDER VEHICLES, I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE MANUFACTURER TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS BY PROVIDING A RESTRAINT SYSTEM THAT WORKS CORRECTLY FOR AT LEAST THE AVERAGE LIFETIME OF A VEHICLE, NOT JUST THREE YEARS. BY THE WAY, AFTER BEING CHARGED $250 FOR A REPAIR, THE BELT WORKED ONCE BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. SHOULD I BE IN AN ACCIDENT BETWEEN NOW AND MONDAY WHEN I CAN RETURN TO THE DEALERS, I WILL NOT BE PROTECTED BY A SHOULDER HARNESS. BEING THAT AN ESCORT IS SUCH A SMALL CAR, I BELIEVE I'M AT SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR. THESE KINDS OF FAILURES SHOULD BE FIXED FREE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #716393
Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 1999
Seat Belts
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #715751
Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 1999
Seat Belts
DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT GOT STUCK WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE AND WILL NOT PROTECT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THEN THE PASSENGER'S SEATBELT MALFUNCTIONED. CURRENTLY, THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #853444
Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 1999
Seat Belts
THE BELT STOPPED IN THE TRACK ON DRIVERS SIDE. IT IS STUCK. THE MOTOR CANT BE TURN AS INDICATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #715185
Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 1999
Seat Belts
BOTH SEATBELTS FAILED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THEY JUST QUIT RETRACTING. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE ANY MORE BECAUSE AFTER 36000 MILES, THE WARRANTY WAS OUT. I CANNOT TAKE MY CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT BELT THEM IN PROPERLY. WILL IT TAKE AN INJURY OR FATALITY BEFORE SOME…
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BOTH SEATBELTS FAILED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THEY JUST QUIT RETRACTING. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE ANY MORE BECAUSE AFTER 36000 MILES, THE WARRANTY WAS OUT. I CANNOT TAKE MY CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT BELT THEM IN PROPERLY. WILL IT TAKE AN INJURY OR FATALITY BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? NO ONE HAS BEEN HURT -YET. MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR ANY SAFETY RELATED DEVICES TO AT LEAST 100,000 MILES ON VEHICLES THAT ARE BUILT TODAY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #714924
Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 1999
Seat Belts
BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS ARE BROKEN AND WON'T MOVE OR LOCK INTO PLAC. DEALER HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #852095
Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 1999
Seat Belts
AUTOMATIC FRONT SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. THE BELTS ARE ATTACHED TO DOOR. WILL NOT MOVE ALONG DOOR TRACK. SHORTED OUT AFTER FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #850358
Official recalls
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Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
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