NHTSA Complaint #11322749 — 2016 FORD FUSION

FIRST EPISODE: DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOCKED PREMATURELY WHILE IN MOTION ~35MPH, NO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT BRAKING RAPIDLY. AT NEXT RED LIGHT, I UNBUCKLED BUT COULD NOT DRAW BELT OUT MORE THAN A FEW INCHES. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, OPENED AND CLOSED DOOR A FEW TIMES AND FINALLY GOT BELT TO PULL OUT FAR ENOUGH TO REBUCKLE AND DRIVE HOME. SINCE THEN, SEAT BELT ALSO LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY AFTER FEW INCHES OF EXTENSION UPON INITIAL CAR ENTRY AND FIRST BUCKLE-IN. OPENING AND CLOSING DOOR AND MULTIPLE PULLS EVENTUALLY RELEASES BELT ENOUGH TO BUCKLE, BUT THEN IT BECOMES SLACK WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM FIRST STARTED LATE FEB-EARLY MARCH, BUT DEFINITELY BEFORE MARCH 16, 2020 WHEN SANTA CLARA COUNTY SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER STARTED. IT HAS ESCALATED SINCE THEN...WARMING WEATHER? I DRIVE TO MY PEDIATRIC PRACTICE AND THE NEWBORN UNIT AT OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL 4-5 TIMES/WEEK DESPITE PANDEMIC. I'M CONCERNED THAT IF BELT IS LOCKING INAPPROPRIATELY AT VEHICLE STARTUP AND SLACKENING DURING NORMAL DRIVING, IT MAY FAIL TO LOCK IN A CRASH.