FaultScore

1987 Ford Taurus seat belt problems

23 of the 355 complaints about the 1987 Ford Taurus are about the seat belts — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 145,000 miles.

D

23

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Buckle Assembly 12 52.2%
Anchorage 4 17.4%
Seat Belts 2 8.7%
Retractor 2 8.7%
Webbing 2 8.7%
Front 1 4.3%

Seat Belts across every Ford Taurus year

1987 23 4.5%
1988 34 6.7%
1989 144 28.2%
1990 25 4.9%
1991 10 2.0%
1992 21 4.1%
1993 14 2.7%
1994 10 2.0%
1995 11 2.2%
1996 25 4.9%
1997 25 4.9%
1998 29 5.7%
1999 63 12.3%
2000 39 7.6%
2001 24 4.7%
2002 14 2.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 145,000 miles Dearborn, MI Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECT AND FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT OF MY 1987 FORD TAURUS, I WENT HEAD FIRST INTO THE WINDSHIELD, MY KNEES HIT THE DASHBOARD, AND I SUFFERED INJURIES. IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE FIX FOR FORD TO CORRECT THE KNOWN DEFECT IN THIS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOTHING TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED.

NHTSA complaint #10098686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deanborn, MI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELTS CAME APART AND FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER AND PASSENGERS SIDE.

NHTSA complaint #562481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hiltons, VA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

REAR RESTRAINT BUCKLE SEPARATED, CAUSING OCCUPANT TO BE UNRESTRAINED. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #881676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lakewood, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE. GAS HAND NOT WORKING. RACK AND PINION BROKE UP. SEAT BELTS FELL APART.

NHTSA complaint #721985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indianapolis, IN

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

THE CONSUMER STATE'S THE FRONT SEAT BELT IS BROKE AND THE TIE ROD FELL OFF.

NHTSA complaint #840889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bettendorf, IA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

METAL PART OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CLIP FELL OUT DURING SUDDEN BRAKING ALMOST RESULTING IN INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #544268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake City, AR

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT.

NHTSA complaint #544051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BAY City, MI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBELT BUCKLES BREAK DUE TO A PLASTIC CLIP WITHIN THE BUCKLE WHICH FALLS APART AND BREAKS. WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #834540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Smithville, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE REAR DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR HANDLES BROKE. DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, BUCKLE BROKE ON THE SHOULDER BELT OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #834363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Salt Lake City, UT

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

FRONT SEATBELT LOOSEN AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND HAVE DONE SO FROM THE INITIAL PURCHASE. DEALER SAID TO LEAN QUICKLY FORWARD THEN BACK IN THE SEAT AND THE RETRACTORS WOULD THEN SNUG THE BELT, EVEN AFTER THIS WAS DONE THE BELT WOULD BE LOOSE AGAIN. AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES DEALER SAID BELT ARE DEFECTIVE AND NEED REPLACEING AND IT WILL COST $87.50 PER BELT PLUS LABOR TO INSTALL. WHEN TURNING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL WITH STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED SWITCH HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIOR WHICH THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO WRITE UP ON THE SHOP WORK FORM. PRESSING THE OFF SWITCH CAUSES THE CAR TO MOMENTARILY START TO SLOW DOWN, THEN THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES AGAIN AND ACCELERATES THE CAR BACK UP THE SPEED IT WAS GOING WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO COMPLETLY DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL IS TO TAP THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE SERVICE WRITER SAID AND I QUOTE, "OK JUST TAP THE BRAKE WHEN YOU NEED TO SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL--THEY'RE THE SAME

NHTSA complaint #537189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Charles, IL

SEAT BELTS

THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINTS FELL APART INTO THREE PIECES UPON BRAKING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #819199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Blue Springs, MO

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEA TBELT BUCKLE RELEASE MECHANISM SPLIT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO SQUEEZE BELT BUCKLE TOGETHER IN ORDER FOR THE SEAT BELT TO LATCH.

NHTSA complaint #807765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington Station, NY

SEAT BELTS

NYLON AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CLASP WEARS OUT PREMATURELY, CAUSING THE BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE.

NHTSA complaint #804962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Independen, MO

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT BUCKLES BREAK, DUE TO BEING MADE OF PLASTIC. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #487867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fairfield, CT

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT LATCH COVER CAME OFF AND LATCH UNFASTENED. TT

NHTSA complaint #501185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Marrietta, GA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT FAILURE, BROKEN BELT BUCKLE. TT

NHTSA complaint #975745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, MO

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PLASTIC THAT COVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE FELL OFF. ALSO METAL FASTNER SEPARATED ON FRONT AND MIDDLE PASSENGER SEATING POSITION. TT

NHTSA complaint #975588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Campb, KY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT TENSIONER, ATTACHING SEAT BELT TO BUCKLE CAME OFF, RENDERING BELT INOPERABLE.

NHTSA complaint #484693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Richmond, VA Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER FROM CRASHING INTO STEERING WHEEL. TT

NHTSA complaint #972359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West College, IN Crash 4 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE STEERING , BRAKES, AND SEAT BELTS ALL FAILED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND INJURY TO OCCUPANTS. TT

NHTSA complaint #967201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Jose, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PLASTIC IS BROKEN INSIDE OF BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS (OTHER VEHICLE FROM 965989).

NHTSA complaint #485153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Nappa, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT UNFASTEN BY ITSELF. TT

NHTSA complaint #965763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cream Ridge, NJ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT PLASTIC COVERS ON THE MALE PART OF SAFETY BELT BUCKLE CRACKS, SEATBELT FALLS APART. TT

NHTSA complaint #958972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1987 Ford Taurus problems

← Full 1987 Ford Taurus report