14 of the 1,759 complaints about the 2002 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 62,000 miles.
14
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT WILL NOT BUCKLE ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE I THINK SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE LATCH INSIDE BECAUSE THE MALE WILL NOT FIT INSIDE THE BUCKLE.
NHTSA complaint #10893380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
MY DAUGHTER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN A 2002 FORD TAURUS SE WHERE SHE IMPACTED A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD ON AND HARD ENOUGH TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS OWNED AND INSURED BY ME. THE WORSE OF THE IMPACT WAS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT END. ONLY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH NO ONE SEATED THERE, BUT HER DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. THIS RESULTED IN A CONCUSSION AND FACIAL LACERATIONS AND BRUISING WHEN HER FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINING SYSTEM FAILED TO ACT PROPERLY TO PROTECT HER FROM THIS INJURY. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD, BUT THEY DON'T CARE AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS HOW IT IS DESIGNED TO WORK. SO IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO FORD THAT THEIR RESTRAINING SYSTEM ALLOWS INJURIES? I HOPE THAT SHE DOES NOT SUFFER FROM BRAIN TRAUMA AND I HOPE THAT THE WOUND HEALS WITH MINIMAL SCARING. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. IF THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT INVOLVED, I WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.
NHTSA complaint #10433466 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DT: CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH PASSSNGER SEAT BELT. IT WON'T ROLL OUT, IT'S LOCKED OR STUCK.
NHTSA complaint #10122532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
DT: THREE REAR SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT . THIS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED, COST OF THIS REPAIR WILL BE CLOSE TO $500.00. SPOKE TO MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID NO RECALL, THEY COU;DN'T HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10121865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO WEAR THE SEAT BELT CORRECTLY. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10109744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS NOT RETRACTING FROM THE RETRACTORS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES, AND THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE, BUT PROBLEMS RECURRED. ALSO, ON ANOTHER ISSUE CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES ON A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 04V106000 CONCERNING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS STILL EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEM WITH THE STOP LIGHTS NOT OPERATING WHEN BRAKING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. THE BACK SEAT BELTS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FRONT.
NHTSA complaint #10108994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS NOT RETRACTING FROM THE RETRACTORS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES, AND THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE, BUT PROBLEMS RECURRED. ALSO, ON ANOTHER ISSUE CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES ON A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 04V106000 CONCERNING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS STILL EXPERIENCING SOME PROBLEM WITH THE STOP LIGHTS NOT OPERATING WHEN BRAKING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. THE BACK SEAT BELTS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FRONT.
NHTSA complaint #10108994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELT UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT THREE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10089522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK. WAS TOLD BY FORD SERVICE THAT THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM AS VEHICLE HAD OVER 60,000 MI, HOWEVER PASSENGER USE WAS LESS THAN 5,000 MI. I REPLACED AT COST OF $173.00.
NHTSA complaint #10082419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AT ALL TO SECURE THE PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10053676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 50 TO 60 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER MADE A U-TURN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE AIR BAG PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE FAULTY SEAT BELT. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10045033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DRIVING ON HIGH WAY 20 IN CHEROKEE COUNTY GA A CAR RAN A RED LIGHT HITTING ME HEAD ON GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH MYSELF GOING 45-50 MPH LUCKILY I DID NOT SUFFER MAJOR BODILY INJURY (WHIPLASH AND LOTS OF BRUISES). MY QUESTION IS SHOULD AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED? AND SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK CAUSING ME TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL. I WAS DRIVING A 2002 FORD TAURUS LS.
NHTSA complaint #10041402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY.*TS ALSO THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN CONSUMER, WHICH CAUSED INJURIES. *JB *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10004518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE 2002 FORD TAURUS WAS ON LOAN TO US WHILE WE WERE FIXING OUR 1999 FORD WINDSTAR. OUR 5 YEAR OLD (ALMOST 6) SON SOMEHOW WRAPPED THE BACK SEAT CENTER SEATBELT AROUND HIMSELF AND COULD NOT GET OUT. IN FACT THE SEAT BELT WOULD RETRACT AND LOCK THE SEATBELT ON HIM TIGHTER. MY WIFE TRIED TO GET HIM OUT AND FINALLY HAD TO USE SCISSORS FROM A NEARBY BUSINESS TO CUT THE SEAT BELT. OUR OWN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT IF YOU PULL ANY OF THE SEATBELTS OUT TO THE MAXIMUM AND THEN LET IT RETRACT, THE SEAT BELT CAN NOT BE RE-EXTENDED UNTIL THE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN FULLY RETRACTED. FROM WHAT WE COULD DISCERN WAS THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO MANUALLY RELEASE THE SEATBELT WHEN IT IS IN THIS "MODE". LATER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A "SAFETY" DESIGN FOR CHILD CAR SEATS. THOUGH THIS IS GREAT FOR CHILD SEATS, IT COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (AND MAYBE SOME DISABLED PEOPLE) UNLESS THERE IS A MANUAL RELEASE MECHANISM FOR THAT SEATBELT. I TRIED GOING THROUGH THE CONSUMER RELATIONS AREA OF FORD AND AM NOT SURE THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO MY CONCERNS FOR THEY BLEW ME OFF WHEN I REQUESTED THE $179 COMPENSATION FOR HAVING TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT THAT I THINK IS FAULTY ANYWAY.
NHTSA complaint #763598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.