Seat Belts. Review the 282 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

What owners actually said

323 reports

125,000 miles · Dec 5, 2003

Seat Belts

PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CAME OFF THE TRACK. THE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10050156

19 miles · Jun 28, 2003

Seat Belts

Read full complaint

FORD DEALER WILL NOT HONOR OR REPAIR SAFETY RECALL ON SHOULDER BELT SAFETY ISSUE. LOCAL FORD DEALER: PHIL LONG FORD, COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO 1565 AUTO MALL LOOP, COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO 80920 719-572-2300. CONTACTS ASSISTANCE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE COPE 719-572-2245. SERVICE DIRECTOR MERK MARSHALL 719-572-2385. THIS IS MY SONS CAR AND I AM CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY , I FOUND THE FORD RECALL # ON THE INTERNET # TBS 96S48 AND 96V172. I TOOK A PRINTED COPY TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS ON RECALL FOR THE VIN # ON MY SONS CAR. I ALSO FOUND A PAPER # NAS-11PAW THAT IS ADDRESSED TO L.W. CAMP DIRECTOR OF AOUT SAFETY AT FOR AND IT STATES THAT THIS RECALL IS FORDS RESPONSIBILITY REGARDLESS OF THE AGE, THE OWNER THE, MILEAGE OF THE CAR. THE PAPER WAS DATED AUGUST 22, 1996. IT'S LIKE FORD DECIDED TO JUST FORGET ABOUT IT AND NOT CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF IT'S CONSUMERS. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED ASAP... THANKS, ANTHONY MASCARENAS. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10023952

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2003

Seat Belts

THE FRONT SEAT BELT LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED IT NOT TO RETRACT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10020228

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2003

Seat Belts

THE RECALL REMEDY WHICH WAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE SHOULDER BELT 96 V 172 001 FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10019500

104,000 miles · Mar 24, 2003

Seat Belts

THE VEHICLES AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT TRACK FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE. SCC

NHTSA ODI #10012266

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2003

Seat Belts

THE MOTOR INSIDE OF THE SEATBELT WILL COME ON BUT THE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACTOR AT ALL. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10012040

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2002

Seat Belts

DEALER, AUBURN MOTORS IN AUBURN, IN. PHONE# 260/925-3100 REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL 96V172002 CONCERNING AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014627

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2002

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT 25 MPH, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WITHOUT ANY BRAKING ACTION. CONSUMER USED PARK BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ADDED THAT THE DEALER WHO SOLD HIM THE VEHICLE, HAD GOTTEN THE BRAKE LINE FIXED, BUT NOT THE GREASE CAP FOR THE ENIGNE. *SCC

NHTSA ODI #8013120

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2002

Seat Belts

AFTER RECALL96V172002 REPAIRS WERE DONE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8012899

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2002

Seat Belts

SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8012891

Official recalls

96V172001 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Sep 6, 1996

NOTE: DRIVER'S SIDE (LEFT) PASSIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE DRIVER SIDE AND INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT TRACK ASSEMBLIES.

96V172002 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Sep 6, 1996

NOTE: PASSENGER SIDE (RIGHT) SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE DRIVER SIDE AND INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT TRACK ASSEMBLIES.

89V159000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

Sep 25, 1989

THROTTLE LEVERS MAY HAVE BEEN BENT DURING ASSEMBLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THROTTLE MAY STICK AND NOT RETURN FULLY TO IDLEPOSITION.

Remedy: PLACE AFFECTED VEHICLES ON DELIVERY HOLD UNTIL REPAIRED.

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

DP07001 · Seatback Recline Mechanism Failure

Opened Jul 30, 2007 · Closed Dec 5, 2007

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

ON JUNE 29, 2007, NHTSA RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. RICHARD H. MCSWAIN OF MCSWAIN ENGINEERING INC., REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE SEATBACK RECLINER FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE PETITIONER IDENTIFIED A FAILURE MODE INVOLVING BYPASS OF THE SEATBACK STOP PIN WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FALSE OR PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE SECTOR AND PAWL TEETH, ALLOWING THE SEATBACK TO RECLINE IN A VEHICULAR COLLISION.ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ALLEGED FAILURE MODE MAY BE THE RESULT OF PROGRESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR OF THE SEATBACK STOP PIN, THE SEATBACK STOP, AND OTHER SEAT COMPONENTS IN VEHICLES THAT ARE, ON AVERAGE, 17 YEARS OLD.AVAILABLE DATA DO NOT SUGGEST THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH A NOTABLE FREQUENCY. ODI REVIEWED ITS CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED OVER THE LAST NINETEEN YEARS AND FOUND NO COMPLAINTS OF SEATBACK COLLAPSE (WITH OR WITHOUT A VEHICLE COLLISION) IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.CONSIDERING THE ADVANCED AGE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDE A FREE REMEDY DOES NOT APPLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BY THE FIRST PURCHASER MORE THAN 10 CALENDAR YEARS BEFORE AN ORDER IS ISSUED. THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

RQ98011 · Automatic Shoulder Belt

Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Feb 16, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:webbing

There is no summary currently available

PE96027 · Mazda RX7 Automatic Seat Belt Failure

Opened Apr 16, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SYSTEM

EA94032 · Passive Restraint Failures

Opened Sep 8, 1994 · Closed Sep 30, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

PE94039 · Pass.restraint Malfunction

Opened May 4, 1994 · Closed Sep 8, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

PE91124 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Sep 9, 1991 · Closed Dec 23, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

There is no summary currently available