2007 Toyota Prius Seat Belts Problems

Your driver's seat belt buckle has ejected a spring and plastic component, and the seat belt no longer fastens properly. This is a safety concern since the seat belt won't keep you secured in the event of a collision. The seat belt buckle assembly will likely need to be replaced.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY AND THE CONTACT'S BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE PARAMEDICS TRANSPORTED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE SHE SUFFERED FROM INJURIES TO HER CHEST AND BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SANSONE TOYOTA (90-100 US-1, AVENEL, NJ 07001, (732) 815-0500) WHERE THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL TOW YARD AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK THE VEHICLE'S BLACK BOX. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES FOUND ON THE BLACK BOX AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

DRIVER SEAT BELT CATCH NON FUNCTION, WILL NOT LOCK WHEN BELT CONNECTOR SLIPPED INTO LOCKING DEVICE. PURCHASED CAR USED HENCE UNSURE WHEN MALFUNCTION BEGAN.

SEATBELT TENSIONER RETRACTS SLOWLY ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 07 PRIUS. CALLED TOYOTA 1-800 NUMBER, THE GIRL TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND GET A PRICE AND THEN CALL THEM. SHE SAID IT WAS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE. INTERESTING BECAUSE EVERY OTHER TIME I HAVE CALLED ON A TOYOTA SEATBELT OF THE SAME ISSUE THEY NEVER SAY IT SAFETY RELATED WHEN I KNOW WHAT IS. I HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED IT IS TOO MUCH WORK RIGHT NOW TO GET THEM A PRICE ON SOMETHING THEY MIGHT DO. WHY HAVEN'T TOYOTA SEATBELTS BEEN RECALLEDOVER THERE OBVIOUS TENSIONER ISSUES. I HAVE EIGHT TOYOTA IS BETWEEN 00 AND 07 BETWEEN MY GIRLFRIEND MY PARENTS AND I AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME RETRACTOR ISSUES

THE VEHICLE MILEAGE GIVEN IS APPROXIMATE. THE PASSENGER ESTIMATES THE SPEED AT ABOUT CITY STREET SPEEDS AT TIME OF ACCIDENT SINCE THE CAR WAS SLOWED TO GET ON THE SHOULDER. THE ACCIDENT IS COMPLICATED BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN'T REMEMBER MUCH OF WHAT HAPPENED BEYOND SHE WAS PULLING OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER TO CHANGE DRIVERS OR REST, BUT THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WAS ABRUPTLY WOKEN UP FROM A SCHEDULED NAP BY WHAT SEEMED TO HIM LIKE A POTHOLE OR PERHAPS AN ABRUPT EDGE TO THE ROAD FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY A ROUGH RIDE. WHEN HE OPENED HIS EYES HE SAW THE CAR ON THE WILD CLUMPS OF GRASS LIKE VEGETATION ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE REFLECTOR STAKE LINE AND AN ODD SHOULDER THAT WAS ONLY PARTIALLY CEMENT OR PAVEMENT WITH A SUBSTANTIAL GAP BETWEEN THE SIDE REFLECTORS AND HARD SURFACE. THIS WAS SEMI-CONFIRMED WHEN REENTERING WYOMING WITH HIS OLDEST SON DRIVING AND SEEING SIMILAR PARTIAL SHOULDERS, BUT THE SON WAS UNWILLING TO DRIVE FARTHER TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE. THE PASSENGER'S BELIEVES THE TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED AND CAUSED THE CAR TO GO OFF THE SHOULDER, IN PART BECAUSE OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A GEO PRIUS LSI ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON ICE THAT CAUSED WHAT WOULD HAVE NOT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION IS A DEFECT OR DEBRIS ON THE SHOULDER ITSELF. THE DRIVER TRIED TO GET BACK ON THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE SLIGHT CONTOUR DOWN OF THE SHOULDER OUTSIDE RIGHT OF WAY AND THAT OR TRACTION CONTROL MAY HAVE CAUSED THE CAR TO LEAVE THE PARTIAL SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS LAST SEEN AT HP TOWING IN EVANSTON, WYOMING. IT WAS TOTALED AND TITLE WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO ALLSTATE INSURANCE. THE SEAT BELTS IN THIS CAR ARE TOO THIN AND TEND TO TWIST UP PREVENTING CONSISTENT SUPPORT. THE PASSENGER PROTECTIVE CAGE IN THE TOYOTA PRIUS DID AN IMPRESSIVE JOB OF PROTECTING THE OCCUPANTS BUT A PLASTIC LAYER WOULD HAVE PREVENTED INJURIES AND CONTENTS LOSS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND STRUCK HER FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT'S WIFE, AND SHE STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER NECK, BACK, AND SHOULDER. THE MANUFACTURER CONCLUDED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT FILED REPORT NUMBER 804127. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10,000. UPDATED 12/17/08.*JB