NHTSA Complaint #10860434 — 2009 HONDA FIT

AFTER I'D HAD THE CAR ABOUT A YEAR, SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT STARTED LOCKING UP AND PREVENTING ME FROM BEING ABLE TO MOVE. THIS IS ONGOING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I LEAN FORWARD ONLY SLIGHTLY. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE IT IS TO PRESS INTO THE BACK OF THE SEAT, BUT SOMETIMES THE BELT CONTINUES TO LOCK UP EVERY TIME I PRESS BACK, TO THE POINT THAT THERE IS NO MORE ROOM TO RELEASE THE TENSION ON THE BELT. AT THIS POINT I JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE BELT OFF, WHILE I'M DRIVING. THIS OVERLY-SENSITIVE LOCKING MECHANISM HAS BECOME A HAZARD WHEN I'M IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND HAVE TO QUICKLY CHECK OVER MY SHOULDER BEFORE CHANGING LANES. I HAVE TO LEAN FORWARD IN ORDER TO SEE AROUND THE HEADREST, BUT I GET TRAPPED AGAINST THE SEAT. AGAIN, I HAVE HAD TO UNFASTEN THE BELT IN ORDER TO GAIN THE MOBILITY NEEDED TO DRIVE PROPERLY. I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE DEALER AND HE SIMPLY BRUSHED IT OFF, STATING THIS WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. THIS IS AN IMPROPERLY WORKING SAFETY FEATURE, MAKING IT AN UNSAFE FEATURE. THE DATE PROVIDED BELOW IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE THE PROBLEM STARTED. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS DIRECTLY IN MY LINE OF VISION. I HAVE TO DUCK TO LOOK UNDER IT WHEN I'M SIMPLY TRYING TO SEE OUT THE WINDSCREEN. THIS ALSO IS A HAZARD. LASTLY, I FIND THE WINDSCREEN FRAME ON THE LEFT SIDE IS SITUATED SUCH THAT IT PERFECTLY BLOCKS PEDESTRIANS WHO MIGHT BE STANDING ON THE CORNER OR ENTERING AN INTERSECTION. IT'S SO WIDE AND ANGLED THAT IT COVERS A LARGER AREA THAN MOST VEHICLES. THE LARGE WINDSCREEN IS A NICE FEATURE, BUT NOT WHEN IT COMPROMISES SIDE VISION.