18 of the 116 complaints about the 1988 Ford Thunderbird are about the seat belts — 16% of everything reported for this model year.
18
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. I ALSO OWNED A 1987 T-BIRD PRIOR TO THIS ONE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE OLDER T-BIRDS.
NHTSA complaint #757128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FEMALE PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #9002060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOUGHT CAR FRM OLD LADY WHO RARELY DROVE IT. AFTER BOUGHT NOTICED FRNT END CLUNK ALL SPEEDS REPLACED STRUTS CLUNK STILLTHERE REPLACED STRUT BEARINGS AND ALL BUSHINGS IN FRONT END. CLUNKING STILL THERE REAR END CLUNKING BAD WHEN PUT INTO GEAR AND WHEN CAR SHIFTS REPLACED REAR SHOCKS....STILL THERE ....AT FRONT ALSO ...WAS TOLD BY SANTA MARIA FORD THE FRONT CLUNK IS FROM THE REAR SOMEWHERE?...I FINALLY FOUND IT IN STEERING RACK THE ROD ENDS WERE DRY (NO LUBE FROM FACTORY) THE BALL SOCKETS IN THEM WERE JUST SHORT OF A WRECK WEAR WISE ....REPLACED THEM AND BEHOLD NO CLUNK FROM FRONT....REAR STILL CLUNKS TO THIS DAY.RECALL FOR ING SWITCH AFTER THIS WAS REPLACED THE ENGING SURGES AND SOMETIMES STALLS AT SPEED AND IDLE THE DEALER (JIM BURKE IN BAKERSFIELD) SAYS ITS MY PROBLEM AND THEY COULD CHECK IT OUT FOR $$$$$ I HAD PAYED THEM FOR DIAGNOSES AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED INJECTOR CLEANED @495.00FOR #4 INJ. WELL I INSTALLED NEW ONE FOR $40.00 AND PRICE OF GASKETS CAR PASSED SMOG BUT STILL SURGES AT ALL SPEEDS..........THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE STOPPED LATCHING ABOUT THE TIME OF INGNITION RECALL FORD SAID TUFF LUCK GO TO A JUNKYARD
NHTSA complaint #737337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
IN COLLISION SEAT BELT FAILED; DRIVER HIT WINSHIELD AND STEERING WHEEL.
NHTSA complaint #736099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BELT BUCKLE DOESN'T LOCK ANYMORE. BUCKLE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #865470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC LAP/SHOULDER RED RELEASE BUTTON WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY, CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO RELEASE.
NHTSA complaint #806574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
.THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #802211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #490490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
#EA95-021 THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE . TT
NHTSA complaint #972268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS SHOWING FALSE LATCHING, BUCKLE COMES UNLATCHED. TT
NHTSA complaint #971890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, LATCH ON SEATBELT FAILED. TT
NHTSA complaint #971736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
EA95-021 ACTIVE, FRONT LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILURE RETRACTOR WON'T RETRACT, BELTS ARE VERY LOOSE. TT
NHTSA complaint #971572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLES ARE NOT HOLDING. TT
NHTSA complaint #970140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKEN, CAUSING FASTEN FAILURE. TT
NHTSA complaint #967995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVERS SEATBELT BUCKLE DOES NOT LATCH AND DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
NHTSA complaint #967336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ROLLOVER ACCIDENT CAUSING THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT TO BECAME SEPERATED. TT
NHTSA complaint #964690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S FRONT SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLES INOPERATIVE, WHEN SNAP MALE PORTION INTO FEMALE BUCKLE COMES UNDONE. TT
NHTSA complaint #964465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
INTERNAL SPRING OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT LATCH. MAKING IT INOPERATIVE. TT
NHTSA complaint #960378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.