11 of the
1,597 complaints about the 1995 Ford Taurus are about the
seat belts — 1% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
83,000 miles.
12/18/96: THE TARAUS I WAS DRIVING WAS HIT IN THE SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR. I WAS THROWN INTO MY SHOULDER HARNESS, WHICH FUNCTIONS MORE AS A "NECK NOOSE". WITHIN 24 HOURS, I HAD SWELLING, BURNING, PAIN IN MY NECK AND SHOULDER WHERE I HAD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS. WHEN MY INJURY WAS ABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED, WHICH TOOK TWO YEARS (2), BEFORE THE "BLOOD FLOW" CHANGED ENOUGH TO BE DIAGNOSED ON A 3-PHASE BONE SCAN AT MAYO CLINIC, I LEARNED I HAD REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY, ALSO KNOWN AS COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME.(RSD & CRPS). BOTH ARE KNOWN TO BE THE HIGHEST ON THE MCGILL PAIN INDEX FOR "TYPES OF PAIN", AT LEVEL 42. CANCER IS 28, AND NO PAIN IS 0. WHEN I LEARNED THAT I HAD RSD AND THAT IT BEGAN AT MY NECK INJURY, I CONTACTED FORD'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT, TO ASK THAT THEY CHANGE MY SEAT BELT TO THE NEW DESIGN THEY IMPLEMENTED IN 1996 MODELS (RSD ONLY GOES INTO REMISSION, WHEN TREATABLE. FORD DIDN'T "REFUSE" TO CHANGE MY SEAT BELT, BUT MERELY "IGNORED ME". I SPOKE WITH AND FAXED CHRIS IN THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. I ASKED THE VP OF FORD, MR. SHEELE, ON 7/11/03 TO MAKE THE SAME REPAIR, WHEN I TOLD HIM OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH SERVICE, QUALITY, AND REPAIR FROM FORD. I HAVE HEARD FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT WITH NO ACTION, HOWEVER I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM MR. SCHEELE'S OFFICE, REGARDING MY SEAT BELT PROBLEM. FORD KNEW OF A PROBLEM WITH "WHERE" THE SEAT BELTS CROSSED NECKS, WHICH IS WHY THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN IN 1996! I WISH I'D KNOWN ABOUT THIS BEFORE MY ACCIDENT, SO THAT I COULD HAVE BOUGHT A SAVER EUROPEAN CAR. NOW, I HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF PAIN FOR LIFE, CALLED RSD, WHICH TRAVELS. MY LIFE HAS BEEN ON "HOLD" SINCE 12/18/96 AND I CANNOT "PLAN" ANYTHING. I MUST CARRY MY "MEDICAL RECORDS" WITH ME ANYWHERE I GO, BECUASE OF THE NATURE OF MY TREATMENT, AND THE DRUGS INVOLVED. WWW.RSDSA.ORG TO "SEE" WHAT I LOOKED LIKE, AND HOW I HURT. 1988-1995 SEAT BELTS ARE OF THE SAME DEFECTIVE DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #10025998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boron, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LATCH, CAUSING DRIVER AND PASSENGER NOT TO BE SAFE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8002163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mapleton, GA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT IS COMING ACROSS THE CONSUMER'S THROAT. A BELT EXTENDER HAS HELPED SOMEWHAT.
NHTSA complaint #849763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Crystal Lake, IL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE HAS COME OFF THE BELT WHICH HAS CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #848939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stoneham, MA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #542900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cordova, TNCrash1 killed
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
ON 12/08/1998 MY FATHER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF HIS LIFE. HE WAS HIT ON THE DIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BY A SEMI-TRUCK AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. THE POLICE INDICATED IN THERE REPORT THAT WHEN THEY ARRIVED ON THE SCENE THAT MY DAD WAS NOT WEARING HIS SEAT BELT. MY DAD ALWAYS WORE HIS SEAT BELT HE WOULD NOT EVEN LET SOMEONE RIDE WITH HIM WITHOUT THEM WAREING THEIR SEAT BELT. LOOKING AT THE WREAKAGE I NOTICE THAT THE ARM REST WAS DOWN AND THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH WAS UNDER THE ARM REST. MY QUESTION: HAS IT BEEN TESTED AND/OR IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE BELT TO BECOME DISCONNECTED DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH?
NHTSA complaint #701510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Herndon, VACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND KNOCK HER OUT.
NHTSA complaint #819643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jersey CIT, NJ
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
MIDDLE SEAT BELT HOOK IS CLINCHING TO THE PASSENGER IN THE MIDDLE SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #518983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anchorage, ALCrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY , SEAT BELTS WERE WORN. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #813600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sandston, VACrash
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 35MPH, DRIVER'S SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, CAUSING INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #811813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stockton, CACrash
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH, AT APPROX. 40MPH, 12:00 ON FRONT BUMPER, FRONT PASSENGER'S SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO RETRACT CHILD WHILE IN CSS IMPACT WITH DASH.
NHTSA complaint #809241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.