NHTSA Complaint #701697 — 1994 FORD ESCORT

THE FRONT AUTOMATIC PASSENGER SEATBELT SENSOR STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY AFTER THE FORD DEALERSHIP (CHARLIE HENDERSON FORD IN WAVELAND, MS) REPLACED THE RETRACTING UNIT IN THE PASSENGER DOOR AT 16000 MILES DUE TO A BROKEN SEATBELT HARNESS LOCK. IT IS CAUSING THE SEATBELT TO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY WHEN THE PASSENGER CAR DOOR IS OPENED OR CLOSED. THE FORD DEALER TOLD ME THE SENSOR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE SAFETY WARRANTY (5YRS OR 50,000 MI) ALTHOUGH THE SENSOR CONTROLLED THE AUTOMATIC SAFETY RESTRAINTS. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE FORD COMPANY THRU THEIR DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS I FEARED THE SEATBELT MIGHT GET STUCK IN THE CHANNEL AND MY FEARS WERE JUSTIFIED. THE DRIVERSIDE SENSOR WENT OUT JUST BEFORE 50000 MI, LOCKED IN THE CHANNEL, AND CAUSED THE RETRACTOR CABLE TO COME OUT OF THE SEALED CABLE CHANNEL. THE DRIVERSIDE SHOULDER HARNESS IS NOW LOCKED IN FRONT OF THE RETRACTOR CHANNEL AND NOT IN THE PROPER SAFETY POSITION TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER AS IT IS STUCK MIDWAY IN THE CHANNEL. I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY BUT THEY SAID I WAS OUT ON MY OWN AS I WAS NOW PAST 50000 MI. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I NEED YOUR HELP.