52 of the
300 complaints filed about the Dodge Stealth
are about the seat belts —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1992.
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS TWIST AND FOLD GETTING STUCK WITHIN THE GUIDE RINGS CAUSING THEM NOT TO FULLY RETRACT OR PULL FORWARD SO THAT YOU ARE EITHER UNABLE OR MUST FORCIBLY CLICK THEM INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSTANT EFFORT OF UNTWISTING THEM CAUSES THEM TO SHRED ALONG THE OUTER EDGES. BECAUSE THEY OFTEN REMAIN TWISTED WHEN FORCIBLY PULLED FORWARD TO ENGAGE THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY, THEY NEVER FULLY RETRACT AND REMAIN LOOSE ACROSS THE SHOULDER WHEN BUCKLED.
NHTSA complaint #10483911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT ANYMORE. ALL HINGES HAVE BEEN CLEANED, BUT RETRACTABLE SPRING MECHANISM DOES NOT PULL SEATBELT BACK INTO CAR ANYMORE. IF PULLED, EVEN EXTREMELY HARD AND FAST, THE BELT DOES NOT LOCK, IT SIMPLY EXTENDS TO THE MAXIMUM LENGTH. THE SEATBELTS ARE COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONAL.
NHTSA complaint #10207931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS PULLED ON IT DOES NOT RETRACT, LEAVING ENOUGH SLACK IN THE BELT THAT IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR, IT WOULD NOT SERVE ITS PURPOSE AS A SAFETY RESTRAINT.
NHTSA complaint #10203297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT; AS IF THE SPRING IN THE RETRATION/TENSIONING SYSTEM DOEN'T WORK. THIS ALLOWS FOR A LOOSE SEAT BELT, WHICH WOULD NOT PROPERLY PROTECT YOU IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM IS ON GOING.
NHTSA complaint #10201910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT; AS IF THE SPRING IN THE RETRATION/TENSIONING SYSTEM DOEN'T WORK. THIS ALLOWS FOR A LOOSE SEAT BELT, WHICH WOULD NOT PROPERLY PROTECT YOU IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM IS ON GOING.
NHTSA complaint #10201910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT ON THEIR OWN. THEY HAVE TO BE HAND FED BACK OR ELSE THEY JUST REMAIN FULLY EXTENDED AFTER BEING UNBUCKLED. THIS PROBLEM WILL SOMETIME EVER CREATE EXTRA SLACK IN THE SEAT BELT WHILE DRIVING (WITH SEAT BELT BUCKLED). THIS IS A GREAT SAFETY PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10197875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED SINCE I OWNED THE CAR. ON (MAY, 200) THE SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT DID NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. UPON TALKING TO OTHER CAR OWNERS THEY HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10194929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 1991 DODGE STEALTH AND THE RETRACTOR FOR THE SEAT BELT NO LONGER WORKS. WHEN YOU PUT ON THE SEAT BELT IN MOST CASES THE SLACK IS NOT TAKEN UP. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND I HOPE I'M NOT.
NHTSA complaint #10186660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN I PULL IT OUT TO BUCKLE UP THE EXTRA SLACK DOES NOT GET TAKEN CARE OF. IT JUST REMAINS LOOSE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WELL IT WOULD HOLD UP IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEEMS TO BE MOST OF THE TIME BUT ONCE IN A WHILE FOR SOME REASON IT WILL RETRACT THE EXTRA SLACK.
NHTSA complaint #10185792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NORMAL WEAR HAS CAUSED THE SEATBELT TO OFTEN NOT RETRACT ON ITS OWN RESULTING IN IMPROPER TENSION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IT MUST BE RETRACTED BY HAND AND OFTEN DOES NOT RETAIN SAID TENSION. THE SEATBELT SHOULD BE SNUG AT ALL TIMES DURING OPERATION, BUT ISN'T DO TO LACK OF RETRACTIVE "TENSION". THE BELT NOT BEING SNUG OR LOOSE COULD EASILY RESULT NOT ONLY IN LACK OF PROTECTION DURING A CRASH BUT INCREASED BODILY DAMAGE IN SUCH INSTANCES.
NHTSA complaint #10180675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1. SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, AND REMOVE SLACK ONCE THE SEAT BELT IS LATCHED.--- 2. AFTER BUCKLING MY SEAT BELT, THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. IT WILL LEAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SLACK BETWEEN MY BODY AND THE SEAT. IN A WRECK, IF THERE IS SLACK IN THE SEAT BELT BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE SEAT, THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE BODY. RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY, TRAUMA, AND POSSIBLE EJECTION FROM THE CAR, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF PARALYSIS OR DEATH.--- 3.TRIED CLEANING THE SEAT BELT HANGER AND THE PLACE THE BELT GOES INTO THE CAR, BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE.--- *THERE HAVE BEEN WELL OVER 250 FAILURES, I CAN NOT GIVE AN EXACT AMOUNT OF HOW MANY TIMES I GET IN AND OUT OF MY CAR OVER A COURSE OF TIME, SO THE NUMBER I PUT BELOW IS AN CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW, AND DRIVE THE CAR BACK AND FORTH TO WORK, AND ON ERRANDS.
NHTSA complaint #10178728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 1992 DODGE STEALTH TWIN TURBO. BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE EXTREMELY LOOSE [IE. DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE RETRACT TENSION]. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IF ONE WERE TO BE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION!
NHTSA complaint #10175956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.