NHTSA Complaint #10672621 — 2001 FORD F SERIES (LIGHT)

WHILE SHIFTING ABOUT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO BACK UP AND LOOK REARWARD TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT UNEXPECTEDLY CAME UNBUCKLED AND BEGAN TO RETRACT. I THOUGHT THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN AT FAULT AND NOT PROPERLY BUCKLED IT EVEN THOUGH THE NORMAL WARNING LITE AND SOUNDS INDICATING AN UNBUCKLED SEAT BELT WERE NOT EVIDENT. OWNERS BEGAN TO "TUG" THE BELT AFTER LATCHING IT EACH TIME TO ENSURE PROPER CLOSURE AND VERIFY BUCKLE ENGAGED. THE SAME EVENTS, USUALLY ENCOUNTERED WHILE SHIFTING POSITION IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, HAPPENED REPEATEDLY EVEN THOUGH BUCKLES INITIAL ENGAGEMENT HAD BEEN TEST VERIFIED BY THE DRIVER EACH TIME. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT IN ANY ACCIDENT, THAT BELT MIGHT DISENGAGE AND CAUSE US INCREASED HARM AS A RESULT. WE TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND ASKED IF ANY RECALLS OR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS HAD PROMPTED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX STATED ISSUE WITH SAFETY EQUIPMENT. CHAMPION FORD (AN AUTONATION DEALERSHIP) IN HOUSTON ON KATY FREEWAY STATED NO KNOWN ISSUES OR COMPLAINTS. BEING A MASTER CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN FOR OVER 20 YEARS MYSELF, I ASKED THEM TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER ON OUR BEHALF ASK FOR ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT THESE ISSUES, WHICH WAS DENIED BY FORD AND NO ASSISTANCE PROVIDED. I THEORIZED AND INSPECTED THE MECHANISMS MYSELF AND REQUESTED THEY PROVIDE ME, AT OUR COST, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUCKLE MECHANISM THAT BOLTS TO THE FLOOR ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I INSTALLED THE COMPONENT MYSELF AND HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE ISSUE SUBSEQUENT TO THAT INSTALLATION PROVING BEYOND A SHADOW THE BUCKLE MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE, BOTH IN NOT WARNING US AND PHYSICALLY NOT ENGAGING 100%. I WAITED THIS LONG TO ENSURE THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED, AND HAVING MOVED OUR HOME, TO AGAIN LOCATE THAT REPLACEMENT PART WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO NHTSA AT NO COST, OR FORD (AT REPLACEMENT VALUE I PAID) FOR INSPECTION. PART NUMBER 1L7Z 7861203 AAG. *TR