2003 Ford Explorer Seat Belts Problems

Your seat belts aren't retracting properly and are getting caught in the door lock mechanism, which prevents your doors from locking and staying closed securely. This has damaged your door seal, lock mechanism, and seat belt itself. The seat belt tension can't be adjusted to fix the problem.

CHAT CONVERSATION START 5:57PM GREETINGS, I SAW YOU COMMENTARY ABOUT THE FORD EXPLORER EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN, WELL I HAVE A 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, I AM A MECHANIC I FIGURED MAY BE THE FILTER WAS CLOGGED WELL IT WAS NO FILTER, WHAT I FOUND THE VENT DOOR FELL OFF FROM THE PLACE WHERE IT SUPPOSE TO OPEN AND CLOSE LAYING DOWN ON THE FAN, SO I REINSTALLED BACK AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, IT IS A POOR DESIGN FROM THE FORD COMPANY. I WAS LOOSING HEAT DURING WINTER AND NOT BE COOL AT THE SUMMER LOOSING THE THRU VENT OUT PLACE. FORD NEEDS TO FIX ALL THIS PROBLEMS ALONG WITH SEAT BELTS, REAR WINDOW QUARTER PANEL CRACKED NO ONE IS GETTING FORD TO DO RECALLS ON THIS ITEMS VERY POOR CONSTRUCTION.

THE PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELTS DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH TENSION TO RETRACT THE HARNESS CAUSING TO STAY BY THE DOOR AND NOT CLOSING GOOD, IT MEANS THE BELTS IT IS BY THE DOOR MECHANISM JAMMING THE LOCK AND NOT LOCKING PROPERLY ON DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE, I HAD THE DOOR OPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING, ALSO DESTROYED MY DOOR SEAL TEARING UP, THE MANUFACTURE FORD DOES NOT WANT TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE SINCE IT IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT, THEY WANT TO CHARGE FOR THE REPLACEMENT AND EVEN THE NEW ONES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I CHECK ALL THIS STUFF SINCE I WAS A FLEET MAINTENANCE MECHANIC, CAR INSPECTOR. GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND FIX THE SAFETY HARNESS FOR GOOD TENSION. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING, ALSO PARKED THE DOOR DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY DUE THE HARNESS DID NOT RETRACTED.

THE PROBLEM THE SEAT BELTS DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPRING ACTION TO RETRACT CAUSING TO BE LAYING DOWN AND IT IS GETTING CAUGHT BY THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM MESSING THE BELT PLUS CAUSING THE DOOR NOT TO LOCK PROPERLY, EITHER THE DRIVER OR THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DOOR CAME UNLOCK SINCE THE HARNESS DID NOT RETRACT. IT NEEDS ATTENTION AND BEING REPLACE BY THE DEALER OR BEING RECALL TO MAKE SURE IT IS REPLACE. THE BELT IS GETTING DAMAGE.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH RETRACTION FORCE LIKE IT USED TO BE, THEY HANG OUT, DAMAGING THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM AND DOOR SEAL, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. IT HAS BEING A PROBLEM NOT RETRACING THE BELT LIKE IT SUPPOSE TO. *TR

THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELTS THAT IT DOES NOT RETRACT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SYSTEM WOULD NOT HOLD ANY TENSION TO BE SAFE ON THE ROAD AND BESIDE THAT IT DOES NOT RETRACT, IT TORN THE SEAL BECAUSE METAL HOOK WAS STILL STICKING OUT AND IT GOT CAUGHT ON THE DOOR CONSEQUENTLY TEARING THE SEAL, THEY ARE THE SAME WAY ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, DRIVER AND PASSENGER. I BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY DON'T CARE TO REPLACE IT. *TR

WATER RUNS DOWN FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT APPERATUS, INSIDE THE CAR. WATER DAMAGE SEEN ON INTERIOR ROOF FROM WATER LEAKING INSIDE THE ROOF OF THE TRUCK.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECOND ROW MIDDLE SEAT BELT WAS NOT WORKING. THE SEAT BELT CANNOT BE PULLED OUT TO HOOK INTO THE CHILD SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO A CHILD SEAT TECHNICIAN AND THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. *TR

THE SEAT BELT IS CUTTING THROUGH THE PLASTIC ON THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT WHERE THE BELT COMES OUT OF THE HOLE, WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD WEAR OUT THE BELT AND CAUSE IT BREAK IN AN ACCIDENT. *NM

FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE CUTTING INTO THE PILAR MOLDING. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE MOLDING HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN TWO YEARS. FORD STATES THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO OTHER FORD EXPLORERS IN PARKING LOTS AND SEE THAT IT IS HAPPENING IN MOST OF THE VEHICLES. MY FEAR IS THAT THERE IS NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THIS DEFECT. BY CUTTING INTO THE MOLDING, THE SEAT BELT COULD GET STUCK AND NOT WORK PROPERLY IN AN ACCIDENT, ETC.

MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER HAS HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SEATBELTS AND THE REMOTE ENTRY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS.THE SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AND THEY CUT INTO THE PLASTIC. I AM AFRAID THAT THESE SEATBELTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND I WORRY THAT THEY WILL NOT WORK IN A CRASH. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THESE SEATBELTS BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THE REMOTE ENTRY DOES NOT WORK ALL OF THE TIME. IT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US TO REPLACE THE BATTERIES WHICH WE DID BUT THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE REMOTES.

REF: ODI ID NUMBER : 10016221. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 EXPLORER AS THE REFERENCED PROBLEM. WHEN I GET OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT FULLY RETRACT. UNLESS I PHYSICALLY "THROW" THE EXCESS BACK INTO THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR GETS SHUT ON THE BELT. I HAD TO HAVE THE PLASTIC BUTTON ON THE BELT REPLACED BECAUSE THE DOOR BROKE THE ORIGINAL ONE.*AK

THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK, AND THE SEAT BELT WOULD BE TO LOOSE FOR THE CONSUMER TO WEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN THE FRONT SEAT BELT WAS USED IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF THE PILLAR MOLDING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE SEAT BELT CUT INTO THE MOLDING AND FRAYED THE WEBBING. THE MOLDING AND THE BELT HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *NM

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT DID NOT NOT RETRACT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE SEAT BELT TWICE ALREADY DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS.*AK

RE: SECOND (MID-SECTION) SEAT - DRIVER'S SIDE 1. SEAT BELT BECAME LODGED BEHIND SEAT RELEASE CAUSING BACK OF SEAT TO JERK FORWARD AND STRIKE MY CHILD IN BACK OF NECK. 2. FACTS: A) WHEN MY DAUGHTER (12 YEARS; 89 LBS.) LEANED FORWARD IN HER SEAT, PRESSURE WAS PLACED ON SEAT BELT CAUSING RELEASE TO ENGAGE AND JERK FORWARD; B) MY DAUGHTER WAS STILL IN SEAT BELT WHEN I PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD TO CHECK ON HER; C) I WAS REPEATEDLY UNABLE TO GET THE BACK OF HER SEAT TO "LOCK IN" PLACE; D) UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND SEAT BELT TO BE LODGED SECURELY BEHIND SEAT RELEASE AND EACH TIME MY DAUGHTER MOVED FORWARD AND PLACED PRESSURE ON SEAT BELT, THE RELEASE WAS ENGAGED; E) THIS INCIDENT WASN'T THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT; E) BRAKES WEREN'T BEING USED AT TIME; F) SHE WAS SEEN IN EMERGENCY ROOM DUE TO PAIN IN HER NECK. BACK AND HEAD; SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CERVICAL STRAIN AND HAD TO WEAR A NECK COLLAR FOR FIVE DAYS. 3. CONTRIBUTING REASONS FOR OCCURRENCE: A) SEAT BELT IS SECURED TO SIDE OF VEHICLE; B) WHEN A PERSON GETS INTO THIRD ROW SEAT, IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT ON THE SEAT BELT CAUSING IT TO HANG BEHIND SEAT RELEASE; (C) IF SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY, IT CATCHES BEHIND SEAT RELEASE; D) IT CAN ALSO CATCH ON FRONT OF RELEASE. 4. ADDITIONAL CONCERNS: A) SECOND SEAT RELEASE IS A TWO STEP RELEASE: IF THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE THE BRAKES HAD TO BE APPLIED QUICKLY AND FIRMLY, SECOND PART OF RELEASE COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY ENGAGED CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO BE STRUCK FROM BEHIND AND THROWING HER FORWARD CAUSING HER TO STRIKE THE FRONT OF HER HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHICH IMPACT COULD HAVE QUITE LIKELY CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 5. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION WHICH COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS IF NOT CORRECTED IN ALL EXPLORERS EQUIPPED WITH THIS TYPE OF SEAT BELT AND SEATING ARRANGEMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. I LOOK FORWARD TO A RESPONSE IN THIS REGARD. *NLM

REAR SEAT BELT FOR THE MIDDLE SEAT IN A 2003 FORD ZX2. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD INSTALL THE SEAT BELT BUT IT WOULD VOID MY WARRANTY AND WOULD BE VERY COSTLY. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. *JB

THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT FULLY RETRACT CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO JAM THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM, RESULTING IN THE DOOR NOT CLOSING PROPERLY AND OPENING AT ANY GIVEN TIME! *JB