1999 Dodge RAM 2500 seat belt problems

SEAT BELTS

AFTER RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE, THE SEAT BELT CONTROL TIMER MODULE FAILS, LEAVING SEAT BELTS INOPERABLE - A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD!! SEAT BELTS REMAIN IN A LOCKED POSITION, PREVENTING USE WHILE DRIVING. DODGE P/N 56043003AD. DODGE HAS RECEIVED REPORTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM ALONG WITH REQUESTS TO PURCHASE PART, FOR MANY YEARS BUT HAS CHOSEN TO STOP PRODUCTION OF THE PART. THAT WOULD NOT BE AS BIG AN ISSUE IF THEY HAD ENSURED AN ONGOING SUPPLY FROM THIRD PARTY VENDORS. AS IT STANDS, THEY HAVE CREATED A MAJOR SAFETY CRISIS FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF USERS OF THE LATE 90'S TO EARLY 2000'S TRUCKS.

NHTSA complaint #11162295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELTS FAIL TO LOCK AT BRAKING AND ALSO FAIL TO RETRACT

NHTSA complaint #10935033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED IN A RETRACTED POSITION. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED. THE SEAT BELT CONTROL TIMER MODULE (SCTM) IS LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. THIS PART IS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED, SO THE SEAT BELTS REMAIN UNUSABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10928898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELTS LOCK AND CAN NOT BE PULLED OUT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS AND IS NOT MOVING. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN PASSENGERS ARE ABLE TO WEAR THEM. IT IS SO RANDOM. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT IS ON AND SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED SO THEY CAN NOT BE PUT ON. THE SEAT BELT TIMER, LOCATED UNDER THE MIDDLE OF FRONT SEAT WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE CAN NOT BE PURCHASED FROM DODGE, IT IS ON LONG TERM BACK ORDER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT DODGE CORPORATION NEEDS TO ADDRESS AS IT IS NOT LEGAL TO OPERATE VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.

NHTSA complaint #10651338 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

WHEN TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE SEAT BELTS STARTING RETRACTING AND WOULD NOT RELEASE AND GETS TIGHTER WITH EVERY LITTLE MOVEMENT. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE WAS TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND OPEN DOOR. THIS HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME WHEN GOING MORE THAN 25 - 30 MILES. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE PART TO FIX THIS WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF I COULD FIND A PART AND WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT 129 OF THESE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER AND SEEMS THAT NONE HAVE BEEN SHIPPED IN A WHILE. MY VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE WITH OUT THE USE OF THE SEAT BELTS.

NHTSA complaint #10616730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE SEAT BELTS SUDDENLY SEIZED. THE CONTACT EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY BREATHING BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT HAD ERRONEOUSLY TIGHTEN TOO MUCH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PRESENT WITH ALL THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

NHTSA complaint #10616745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS BELTS FAILED IT DOES NOT PULL OUT, EXTEND, OR PROTRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:01V119000(SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000. *TR UPDATED 09/27/10

NHTSA complaint #10426772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN 2008. HE STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD LOCK INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. HE COULD NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE ADEQUATELY WHILE LOCKED TIGHTLY INTO THE SEAT. THE DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE SEAT. HE ALSO STATED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND THE WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 112,000.

NHTSA complaint #10303657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-60 MPH THE "SEAT BELT" WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND THEN THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SHOULDER BELT VIOLENTLY TIGHTENED ON THE OCCUPANTS WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RELEASE FROM THE WEBBING BY EXERTING GREAT FORCE. THE DRIVER ASSISTED THE PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANT OUT OF THE SEAT BELT ENTRAPMENT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 124,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10294984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500. HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES ARE STUCK IN A RETRACTED POSITION. THE RETRACTOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND WILL NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL# 01V119000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NHTSA complaint #10250349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

3/7/2007. 1999 DODGE RAM. CONTACT STATES THAT A CHRYSLER DEALER TOLD HIM NOT TO USE THE TILT WHEEL BECAUSE IT WILL BREAK THE WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN AGAIN. **CC THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED T HE SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10185820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FRONT SEAT BEAT RETRACTORS HAVE STUCK NOT ALLOWING DRIVER OR PASSENGER TO USE THEM. THEY WILL DO THIS ON EVERY SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEN WILL ACT NORMAL FOR A PERIOD. DEALER STATED THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH HEAVY BRAKING AND THAT THE TWO SEAT BELTS OPERATE INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER, BUT WHEN ONE LOCKS THE OTHER IS ALSO LOCKED. WE ARE OF COURSE A SEAT BELT LAW STATE AND HATE BEING IN VIOLATION OF SC LAW. MY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME A RECALL WAS ISSUED BUT UNABLE TO VERIFY THAT FACT.

NHTSA complaint #10174254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED DUE TO A WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. ADDITIONALLY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBELTS FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE HEADLIGHTS, WHICH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED ABOUT THE SEATBELTS, NO APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA complaint #10153181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LATCH AND SECURE BELT BUCKLE,HAD TO TRY 10 TO 15 TIMES BEFORE BUCKLE WILL LATCH. THEN, IT IS OFTEN TIMES DIFFICULT TO RELEASE BUCKLE. DASHBOARD INDICATOR FOR SEAT BELT REMAINS ON EVEN THOUGH BELT IS BUCKLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #881850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

COMBINATION SEAT/LAP BELT ON DRIVER'S SEAT WILL NOT STAY SNUG AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ON PAGE 22 WARNING SECTION, COLUMN 1, ITEM 2. HILLER CO. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED VERY HARD TO FIND AN ANSWER TO POSSIBLE SOLUTION; DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE; CUSTOMER'S PROPOSED SOLUTION IS NOT BEING CONSIDERED.

NHTSA complaint #706882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.