NHTSA Complaint #10137788 — 2005 SCION XB

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT (MAY APPLY TO REAR BELTS AS WELL) RETRACTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE BELTS APPEAR TO HAVE A LIMIT SET ON THEM THAT IS TOO SHORT FOR THE VEHICLE CONFIGURATION. A SIMPLE ACT SUCH AS LEANING FORWARD SLIGHTLY IN THE PASSENGER SEAT TO OPEN THE GLOVE BOX CAN CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO LIMIT UP AND BEGIN IT'S LOCK DOWN. IT THEN BEGINS TO RATCHET BACKWARDS AND WILL NOT GIVE IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION AT ALL. IF THE PASSENGER LEANS BACK IT TIGHTENS FURTHER, AND BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE FROM THE LATCH MECHANISM. THE ONLY OPTION IF THE LIMIT IS ACCIDENTALLY REACHED IS TO UNDO THE SEAT BELT, LET IT ALL THE WAY BACK, AND PULL IT OUT AGAIN. MY WIFE AND I OFTEN FIND OURSELVES HAVING TO DO IT WHILE ON THE FREEWAY OR IN OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, BECAUSE OF THE RATCHETING ACTION. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. THE DRIVER'S BELT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEMS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WITHOUT THIS LIMIT AND RATCHET BACK SYSTEM. DRIVER'S SIDE HAS NO ISSUES FOR THE SAME PERSON DOING ACTIONS THAT MAY REACH EVEN FURTHER THAN THE PASSENGER MIGHT NORMALLY DO. ALSO, PAINT VERY EASILY CHIPS AND SCRATCHES. LEANING AGAINST THE CAR TOO HARD, OR ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING A FINGERNAIL ON IT CAUSES SEVERE WHITE SCRATCHES TO APPEAR ON MY DARK RED SCION XB. *NM