2001 Ford Explorer Seat Belts Problems

---- THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A SEAT BELT FOR A PASSENGER RIDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REAR SEAT. THE REAR SEAT HAS AMPLE SPACE FOR THREE FULL-SIZED ADULTS, BUT THERE IS NO SEAT BELT FOR A MIDDLE PASSENGER. THE FORD ORIGINAL SHOP MANUAL INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NOT ANY SECURE ATTACHMENT POINTS TO INSTALL A 3RD-PARTY BELT BUILT INTO THE BODY. ---- THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND MAY MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO CARRY A THIRD PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT. NHTSA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND DIRECT FORD TO PROVIDE SEAT BELTS FOR A CENTER PASSENGER IN THE REAR SEAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR

DRIVER SEAT BOLT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD SUDDENLY UNLOCK. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS WOULD MOVE FORWARD WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND HATCH DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,694.

I DRIVE A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT. THE REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT LOCK. I WENT TO MY LOCAL CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND SHE CONFIRMED FOR ME WHILE TRYING TO PLACE THE CARSEAT INTO THE VEHICLE. EVERYTIME I TURN THE CARSEAT UNLOCKS FROM THE SEATBELT AND RE-LOCKS ITSELF. MY CHILD IS LITERALLY LAYING O HER SIDE IN THE SEAT. CALLED FORD AND I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY TO GET IN FIXED WHEN THERE IS NO REASON WHY BOTH REAR SEATBELTS SHOULDN'T LOCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER. SHE STATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE SEAT BELT OFF.THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR A GARAGE FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER .THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,236.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC. THE CENTER ROW CENTER SEAT BELT TIGHTENED BY ITSELF BEFORE THE VEHICLE EVEN MOVED. THE CONTACT'S 8 YEAR OLD CHILD SUSTAINED A BRUISED HIP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS ENGINEERED TO TIGHTEN IN THAT MANNER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,364.

SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT OR RECOIL. I CAN FASTENER THE SEAT BELT BUT IT WILL NOT ADJUST AT ALL. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALER AND THE BEAT IS BROKEN WHERE THE PANEL WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF TO REPAIR. *NM

MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CLOSES IN THE CAR DOOR ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP ATTENTION BUT THE RESPONSE WAS THAT IT RETRACTED OK WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT. MY CONCERN IS THAT OVER TIME THIS MAY CAUSE WEAR ON THE BELT THAT WOULD PREVENT IT FROM WORKING PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *JB

WHILE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE SEPARATED. AS A RESULT THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW. NO MAJOR INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

ON NOVEMBER 29TH MY MOTHER WAS DRIVING HER 2001 FORD EXPLORER 2DR 4X4 TO WORK. SHE HIT AN ICE PATCH GOING APPROX. 30 MPH AND LOST CONTROL OF HER VEHICLE BECAUSE THE REAR END SWUNG SIDEWAYS. HER FORD THEN FLIPPED ON IT'S PASSENGER SIDE AND HIT A TREE. MY MOTHER COULD NOT GET HER SEAT BELT UNDONE SO SHE CALLED 911 WHILE HANGING IN HER VEHICLE. A MAN AND WOMAN STOPPED TO HELP HER OUT BECAUSE THEY NOTICED THAT HER FORD WAS ON FIRE. THEY HAD TO BREAK INTO THE BACK WINDOW AND THE WOMAN CLIMBED IN TO RELEASE HER AND PULL HER OUT. IF THOSE PEOPLE WOULD NOT OF STOPPED, MY MOTHER WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF THE INTERIOR OF MY MOM'S EXPLORER. ( NO SEATS. STEERING WHEEL & COLUMN, GLASS, NOTHING) I HAVE E-MAILED FORD AND SPOKE WITH THEM REGARDING THIS MATTER AND THEY SAY THAT IF MY MOM'S INSURANCE COMPANY SETTLED THEN THEY CLAIM NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I THINK THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE GETS HURT. THERE WAS A ARTICLE WRITTEN IN SHERMAN PUBLICATIONS BECAUSE THE TWO PEOPLE WHO SAVED MY MOTHERS LIFE IS UP FOR AN AWARD. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU! *JB

FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT CAME UNBUCKLED DURING A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. FRONT SEAT PASSENGER ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT. *LA

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN REAR SEAT BELT IS IN USE, THEY WILL TWIST AND RETRACT MAKING THEM INOPERTIVE. NOTHING INSTALLED IN VEHICLE TO PREVENT SEAT BELT FROM TWISTING. DEALER CONTACTED. TS

CONSUMER STATED DURING A ROLLOVER THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, AND PASSENGER WAS EJECTED FROM VEHICLE, VEHICLE WAS HIT AND ROLLED OVER, CONSUMERS WIFE WAS EJECTED RESULTING IN A FATALITY. *JG *AK ODI SPOKE TO HUSBAND AND HE ASSUMED HIS WIFE WAS WEARING THE SEATBELT. WIFE WAS DRIVING AND DURING EVENT WAS THROWN OUT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. THERE WAS NO WITNESS TO THE WIFE WEARING THE BELT.CW

WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY FELL APART FROM THE WALL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK THE SEAT BELT FELL APART ON COLLISION BECAUSE IT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT FACTORY. *YH

I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE, NOR THE DRIVER. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WAS A PASSENGER IN THE FORD EXPLORER AND WAS KILLED AT THE SCENE. THERE IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER HE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND IF IT FAILED DURING THE ROLLOVER OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ALSO A QUESTION OF FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE. BOTH OF THE REAR TIRES WERE MISSING THE VALVE STEMS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THIS OCCURRED DURING THE ACCIDENT OR IF THEY BLEW OUT PREVIOUSLY AND THAT IS WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER WAS SPEEDING, PERFORMED AN UNSAFE LANE CHANGE, THEN OVERCORRECTED, LOST CONTROL, CROSSED THE MEDIAN STRIP INTO THE OPPOSITE ROADWAY, ROLLED OVER AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WHERE ANOTHER PERSON WAS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLISION. THE DRIVER WAS FOUND "NOT GUILTY" IN HIS MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL. SO IT SEEMS THIS ACCIDENT WAS ATTRIBUTED MORE TO VEHICLE FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS DRIVER ERROR ALSO.*AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP PASSENGER'S SEAT SLIDES FORWARD, CAUSE UNKNOWN, ALSO REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

REAR SEAT BELTS ON BOTTOM; WHEN SITTING DOWN BOTTOM PORTION COMES UP FORWARD, QUARTER AWAY. THIS VEHICLE HAS RWO DOORS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF IT.*AK