NHTSA Complaint #10430591 — 1995 LEXUS LS400

SEAT BELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED. SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY, IS COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, PART 571.209, AND STANDARD NO. 209. SPECIFICALLY, THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY IS ADDRESSED IN STANDARD 209, PARAGRAPH S5.2, (K), . THE INSTALLED SEAT BELTS FAILED TO MEET OR EXCEED THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY. DURING THE REQUIRED TESTS THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY IS SUBJECTED TO THE FOLLOWING CYCLES OF RETRACTION: CORROSION TEST:2500 CYCLES ,TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE TEST:2500 CYCLES, DUST TEST:2500 CYCLES, AUTO LOCKING RETRACTOR TEST:5000 CYCLES, EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR:45000 CYCLES, TOTAL TEST CYCLES REQUIRED FOR DESIGN CERTIFICATION:57500 CYCLES THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS 16 YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 150K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE AGE AND USE OF THE VEHICLE, FOR SAKE OF PRESENTATION, WE WILL ASSUME THE CAR IS USED EVERY DAY FOR EACH OF THE SIXTEEN (16) YEARS IN SERVICE: 16 YEARS X 365 DAYS PER YEAR = 5840 DAYS ASSUMING THE CAR IS USED TWICE (2) PER DAY = 11680 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 20% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) ASSUMING CAR IS DRIVEN THREE (3) TIMES PER DAY = 17520 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 30% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) ASSUMING THE CAR IS DRIVEN FOUR (4) TIMES A DAY = 23360 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 40% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) LEXUS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND HAS REPLACED THE BELTS AND COVERED PARTS BUT NOT LABOR. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE COMMON AMONG TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES. SHOULD BE A SUBJECT OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE RESPOND IN WRITING. *TR