38 of the 2,374 complaints about the 1998 Ford Explorer are about the seat belts — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 97,825 miles.
38
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH FAILED. THE SEAT BELT LATCHED IN THE MORNING BUT WOULDN'T CATCH IN THE AFTERNOON. TRUCK WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURED.
NHTSA complaint #10510440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AND MUST BE FED MANUALLY TO RETRACT. SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO SEAT BELT WEBBING CAUSING POSSIBLE FAILURE UPON IMPACT.
NHTSA complaint #10225831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
DT: THE CONTACT PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE ON A WARRANTY. SHE DISCOVERED THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES WERE BROKEN. ALSO, THE FRONT SEATS DID NOT RECLINE PROPERLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10143552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
DT: DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE. ON JUNE 1, 2005. CALLER SAID THE OTHER TWO SEAT BELT LATCHES BROKE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND CALLER HAD THEM FIXED. ALSO, SHE LOW BEAM IWASNOT WORKING . SHE HAD IT CHECKED AT A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.
NHTSA complaint #10130842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT GIVES AROUND THE WAIST CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO LOSE WITH NO RESTRAINT WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10088663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER NOTICED TWO REAR SEAT BELTS DIDN'T HOLD THE PASSENGERS IN THE SEATS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK DEALER SAID THAT THE CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM THE CHILD SEAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10066808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT SEAT BELT PROBLEM ON DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN BELT WAS LATCHED INTO THE BUCKLE, IT DIDN'T HOLD.
NHTSA complaint #10059631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
VEHICLE HIT A TELEPHONE HEAD ON WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *MR THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PREVENT THE CONSUMER'S CONTACT WITH THE SUN VISOR.
NHTSA complaint #10055327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT LOCKED AROUND CHILD'S WAIST, CONSUMER HAD TO CUT CHILD OUT . AS A RESULT, SEAT BELT LEFT A BRUISE.
NHTSA complaint #10042458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
1998 FORD EXPLORER LEFT REAR PASSENGER SAFETY BELT RELEASE DEVICE THAT YOU PUT THE SEAT BELT INTO BROKE. I HAD MY 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN HER CHILDSEAT CORRECTLY BELTED BEHIND ME IN THE LEFT REAR SEAT. I CAME TO A NORMAL STOP, THE HEARD BELT CLICK AND TURN AROUND NOTICED IT HAD COME OUT OF THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE CHILDSEAT AND MY DAUGHTER INTO THE RIGHT REAR SEAT. IF I HAD COME TO A HARDER STOP, OR EVEN A CRASH, MY ONE AND ONLY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. AS OF TODAY, CAPITAL CITY FORD HAS NOT RECEIVED MY NEW BUCKLE ASSEMBY. THEY CALLED ME IN ONCE SAYINF THE PART WAS IN. AFTER 1 1/2 HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ORDERED THE WRONG PART AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE NEW ONE. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS. I CALLED ON MONDAY, JULY 07, 2003 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WAS NOT IN THAT I WILL BE CALLED WHEN IN IT COMES IN. THIS MEANS THAT NO ONE CAN SAFELY SIT AND RIDE IN MY 1998 FORD EXLPORER IN THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT. AS YOU CAN TELL I AM PERTURBBED WITH THIS SITUATION AND WOULD LIKE IT RESOLVED ASAP. AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, MY TIME AND MONEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE COMPENSATED. QUESTION? ARE 1998 FORD EXPLORER LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY PARTS DESIGNED TO FAIL AFTER 78000 MILES????
NHTSA complaint #10025707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
1998 FORD EXPLORER. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW THE REPLACEMENT IS DOING THE SAME THING. OF COURSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE COST WILL BE AROUND $300. ALSO, CD EXCHANGER HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IS BROKEN AGAIN. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10018411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHEN MAKING TURNS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS, VEHICLE SLIDES AND ALMOST TURNS OVER.*AK. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS,AND THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, SIGNALS ARE NOT WORKING, DEALER REPLACED A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR AND MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, FIRESTONE TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, WHICH WERE REPLACED IN JULY 2001, THE REAR SEATS MOVE/BOUNCE WHEN DRIVING, THE REAR SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BUCKLES, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, THE WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED, THE ALARM WOULD NOT CHUT OFF AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED A BAD LOOSE WIRE.
NHTSA complaint #8008389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER STATED THE REAR SEAT BELT BEHIND DRIVERS SEAT BECOMES JAMMED AND WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE.*AA
NHTSA complaint #8004844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
REAR SEAR BELT BEHIND DRIVER'S SEAT DOES NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACKING MECHANISM.
NHTSA complaint #8004845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEATBELT RETRACTOR ALLOWED EXCESSIVE SLACK TO BE RELEASED DURING VEHICLE ROLLOVER. OCCUPANT WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF RIGHT LEG.
NHTSA complaint #744396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ALL OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES FAILED TO LOCK AND HOLD RESTRAINTS IN PLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #886421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
LEFT REAR SEAT BELT WON'T STAY HOOKED IN IT'S BUCKLE IN THE SEAT. CAN'T PLACE ANYONE IN THAT SEAT FOR FEAR OF ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #743862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING UNDER WINTER CONDITIONS, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH, VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL. RIGHT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WENT INTO A DITCH, AND VEHICLE ROLLED 1 1/2 TIMES. DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK UP AND PREVENTING INJURY TO DRIVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT. NLM
NHTSA complaint #882473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHEN CONSUMER GETS OUT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SEATS AND RELEASES SEATBELT, SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO SYSTEM, IT WILL JUST HANG OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #877509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
I OWN ONE OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE. I SAW IN THE NEWS RECENTLY A VEHICLE LIKE MINE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. ONE OF THE OCCUPANS (A FEMALE JUST MARRIED) GOT EJECTED FORM THE VEHICLE AND DIED WHILE WERING HER 3 POINT SEATBELT. OBVIOUSLY THE RESTRAINT EQUIPMENT FAILED. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THIS MATTER. THANKS IN ADVANCED FOR YOUR PROMPT RESPOND, RUIZ.
NHTSA complaint #733769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
TOOK SEAT BELT TO BE REPAIRED 3 OR 4 TIMES AND ENDED UP BEING ORDERED AND WRECKED BEFORE GETTING IT REPLACED. TIRE ON RIGHT REAR SHREDDED AND FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT REAR BLEWOUT. IT WAS A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT FRONT TO REAR AND SIDE ROLLOVER AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T COME OUT. MY 5 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS THROWN AND KILLED IN THE WRECK.( DOT NUMBER: )
NHTSA complaint #732151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
FRONT SHOULDER BELT TIGHTENED UP SO MUCH THAT IT PINNED CONSUMER WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH SURFACES. CONSUMER LIVED WERE THERE WERE MAJORITY OF ROUGH ROADS. DEALER SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT, IT WAS DOING WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO DO.
NHTSA complaint #869762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ARTICLE CONFIRMING REPEATED SEATBELT FAILURE WITH FORDS. MY 98 FORD EXPLORER SPORT HAS BEEN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER TWICE WITH SEATBELTS THAT DO NOT RETRACT CORRECTLY. THEY HANG OUT THE DOOR. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SEATING POSITION. (UPRIGHT!) I HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY AND WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE DEALER. I'M A CAR SEAT TECHNICIAN THROUGH NHTSA AND AM FAMILIAR WITH HOW SEAT BELTS WORK. THESE WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO GUIDE THEM BACK INTO THE RETRACTOR. PLEASE HELP BECAUSE I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #726434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SEVERE BLOWOUT, ROLLOVER 4 TIMES RESULTED IN PARALIZED BACK SEAT OCCUPANT, SHOULDER BELT DID NOT DEPLOY, ONLY LAP THEN RELEASED AT 3 ROLLOVER( DOT NUMBER: )
NHTSA complaint #725153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #720442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
REAR SEATBELTS WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL. CONSUMER CAN USE THE RETRACTOR, BUT CANNOT USE THE SEAT BELT.
NHTSA complaint #858259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO INJURY, YET. BUCKLES ARE SOLIDLY MOUNTED, PROTRUD ABOVE SEAT SURFACE AND HURT PASSENGERS BACK/SPINE WHEN ENTERING VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #712893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHEN GETTING INTO VEHICLE AND STARTING IT UP, THROTTLE STICKS. CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL REAL HARD TO STOP THE THROTTLE FROM STICKING. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T COME OUT, AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT KEEPS SLIDING FORWARD WHENEVER CONSUMER IS DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #849941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
REAR SEAT BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #606765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE CONSUMER STATE'S THE REAR SEAT BELT'S ARE BROKEN AND THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #840881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.