NHTSA Complaint #767378 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

RENTAL CAR FORD TAURUS, FRONT PASS SEATBELT TIGHTENED WOULD NOT RELEASE, CUTTING INTO THROAT. RETURNED CAR. REC'D MERCURY SABLE, SAME PROBLEM. WAS STUCK DRIVING 17 HOURS FROM IN TO CT WITH BELT CUTTING INTO THROAT. USED BELT PROPERLY. WHEN LEANING OVER TO PICK UP ITEM FROM FLOOR, OR GLOVE COMPARTMENT BELT WOULD DEPLOY COMPLETELY. UPON RETURNING BODY TO UPRIGHT POSITION, BELT MADE CLICKING NOISES AND TIGHTENED WITH EVERY UPRIGHT MOVEMENT. BECAME EXTREMELY CONSTRICTING. DRIVER HAD TO RELEASE BELT FOR 17 HOUR TRIP. PASS RETRACTED IT COMPLETELY, DEPLOY IT TO USE IT, AND TRIED TO STAY STILL AND NOT MOVE. WHEN MOVEMENT OCCURRED BELT WOULD REACH IT'S END AND START CLICKING AND CONSTRICTING WITH EVERY TINY MOVEMENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY AFTER 17 HOURS OF DRIVING AND TIGHTENING, SKIN UNDER BELT AREA IS VERY TENDER, THROAT IS SORE, ALMOST CHOKED, ALMOST CUT. FOR PART OF TRIP HAD TO PLACE SEAT IN LAYDOWN POSITION TO ALLEVIATE THROAT CONSTRICTION OF BELT. MFG STATES 'THAT IS THE WAY DOT SET UP THE REGULATIONS, AND WE JUST FOLLOW THEM...BELTS ARE MADE FOR US.....NO RECALLS.....NO ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE'. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OTHERS HAD TO CUT OFF THE BELT. EVEN WENT TO TEST DRIVE THEM, SAME THING HAPPENED. BELT IS MADE FOR CHILD SAFETY? SOME TYPE OF SENSOR? NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT ANY TIME. BELT IS MALFUNCTIONING WHEN DEPLOYED ALL THE WAY BY JUST BENDING OVER OR MOVING AROUND. BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT, SOMEONE NEEDS TO RECALL AND RESTYLE THESE EXISTING BELTS. DRIVERS BELT DID NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF PROBLEMS. BENDING AND LEANING OVER DEPLOYED IT COMPLETELY AND NO RETRACTING OCCURRED AT ALL. VERY DANGEROUS HAVING DRIVER, DRIVING AND TRYING TO RELEASE PASSENGER BELT, AND PASSENGER UNBELTED WHILE TRAVELING RETRACTING AND RESETTING BELT. WE WERE LUCKY WE WERE NOT IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DEALING WITH THE BELT ISSUE. AS THE BELT WAS UNBUCKLED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER 17 HOURS. CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT 860-623-7774. IN GOOD FAITH, DOREEN ALFANO.*AK