NHTSA Complaint #10139286 — 1996 HONDA CIVIC

I HAVE OWNED 4 HONDA CIVIC'S OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. AN 1988 4 DOOR SEDAN, 91 HATCHBACK, 95 HATCHBACK, AND NOW A RECENTLY ACQUIRED 96 HATCHBACK. THEY ALL HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELTS FAILING TO RETRACT, AND SOMETIMES LOCKING WHEN NOT DESIRED, LIKE WHEN TURNING MY BODY TO CHECK MY BLIND SPOT MERGING ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY , OR BACKING UP. THEY HANG LOOSELY AROUND THE OCCUPANT AT TIMES, AND GET SHUT IN THE DOORS DAMAGING THE INTERIOR PANELS BECAUSE THEY FAIL TO RETRACT UNLESS FED BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR BY HAND. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ON THE INTERNET FORUMS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THEY ARE UNSAFE AS THEY MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT AND MAY JAM HOLDING THE DRIVER TIGHT IN CERTAIN INSTANCES MENTIONED ABOVE. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE SEAT BELTS AT THIS TIME, I WILL BE CORRESPONDING WITH OUR HONDA DEALER ABOUT REPLACEMENT SHORTLY. *NM