NHTSA Complaint #725326 — 1991 TOYOTA CAMRY

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER RESTRAINT FAILS TO MOVE INTO SAFE POSITION WHEN CAR IS STARTED. FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA OF RALEIGH WAS CONTACTED. THEY REQUESTED IT BE BROUGHT, IN SHOWING NO INTEREST IN THE SAFETY HAZARD OF DRIVING WITH AN INOPERABLE SEATBELT. I HAD AN INDEPENDENT TOYOTA TECHNICIAN LOOK AT TO NO AVAIL. I NEXT SEARCHED THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER CARS SIMILAR TO MINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO GET HELP. THEY ASSURED ME THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM. I FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO FRED ANDERSON. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WORN DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY. I ORDERED THE PART FOR ~$159. WHEN THE PART CAME IN, I ARRANGED AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN AND THEY WERE UNABLE/UNWILING TO FIX IT AS SCHEDULED. SO, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT SHOP. NORTH CAROLINA HAS MANDATORY AUTO SAFETY INSPECTIONS. THIS CAR WAS DUE FOR AN INSPECTION IN JULY AND WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY FAILED WITHOUT A WORKING SEATBELT. THE TOTAL COST TO DIAGNOSE/FIX THIS PROBLEM : ~$370.*AK