NHTSA Complaint #718304 — 1993 DODGE COLT

THE DRIVER'SIDE SHOULDER BELT WAS REPLACED THROUGH RECALL IN 1997. IT HAD ORIGINALLY FAILED SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT. AT THAT TIME, I REQUESTED THE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT ALSO BE REPLACED, BUT DEALER INFORMED ME IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. SINCE THEN, THE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT HAD FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES, IN THAT IT FAILED TO RETRACT AS DESIGNED WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I COULD OFTEN MAKE IT DEPLOY BY OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR AND "TIMING" THE IGNITION JUST RIGHT--BUT THIS DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK. FINALLY, IT FAILED COMPLETELY; IT HAS NOT WORKED AT ALL FOR MOST OF 1999. THE DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO OCCASIONALLY SHOWS THIS SYMPTOM. BUT IT ALSO SOMETIMES RETRACTS WHILE I'M DRIVING, WHICH PUTS IT IN A PLACE WHERE IT RESTRICTS MY ABILITY TO STEER THE CAR. CALLS TO FUSZ HAVE ONLY GOT ME RUDE RESPONSES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY PASSENGERS AND I ARE NOT PROTECTED. I WANT TO WEAR PROPER RESTRAINT--I DON'T NEED A LAW TO TELL ME SO--BUT I AM PREVENTED FROM IT THROUGH FAULTY MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *AK