NHTSA Complaint #10393448 — 1991 ACURA INTEGRA

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO OPERATE BEGINNING AT 6:30 AM TUESDAY, 3/22/2011, AFTER PUTTING MY CAR KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNING THE CAR ON (MILEAGE = 239,146) TO GO TO WORK. THE RETRACTOR DID NOT MOVE AT ALL AND NO SOUND WAS EVER MADE INDICATING FAILURE OR TROUBLE. THIS SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS ALWAYS WORKED DURING THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (NOTE: I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER). THE RETRACTOR SIMPLY FAILED IN THE UNRESTRAINED POSITION (AKA FORWARD POSITION) AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE THEN. THE RED SEAT BELT LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON NOW, AND IF I HAPPEN TO START THE CAR WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPEN (WHETHER THE SEAT BELT IS CONNECTED TO THE RETRACTOR OR NOT), A BEEPING SOUND CAN BE HEARD DURING THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I AM OPERATING THE VEHICLE. OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO BEEPING. (IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF THE RETRACTOR, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD GET INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND CLOSE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND TURN THE CAR ON, THE RETRACTOR WORKED JUST FINE BUT THE RED SEAT BELT LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I WOULD THEN HAVE TO OPEN MY DOOR AND CLOSE IT AGAIN AND THE LIGHT WOULD ALWAYS GO AWAY AFTER THAT - STRANGE ISN'T IT?). ON FRIDAY, 3/25/2011, I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO SIERRA ACURA, A DEALERSHIP LOCATED AT 1700 W. MAIN ST., ALHAMBRA, CA 91801, (MILEAGE = 239,201) TO DETERMINE WHY IT FAILED, AND TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY WARRANTIES, RECALLS, ETC. THE SIERRA ACURA TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE RETRACTOR'S MOTOR EXPERIENCED AN INTERNAL FAILURE (NOT A MECHANICAL FAILURE) AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BELT MOTOR ASSEMBLY ($446) AND THE SEAT BELT RAIL ($391). THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $92.00 FOR THIS INSPECTION SERVICE. ACCORDING TO A SERVICE ADVISOR AND SERVICE MANAGER, THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND RAIL WERE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY, RECALL, ETC. ONLY THE BELT ITSELF AND THE RED CLIPS WERE COVERED.