FaultScore

1989 Ford Thunderbird seat belt problems

20 of the 147 complaints about the 1989 Ford Thunderbird are about the seat belts — 14% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,000 miles.

F

20

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Seat Belts 9 45.0%
Buckle Assembly 6 30.0%
Retractor 3 15.0%
Webbing 1 5.0%
Front 1 5.0%

Seat Belts across every Ford Thunderbird year

1987 14 9.6%
1988 18 12.3%
1989 20 13.7%
1990 28 19.2%
1991 17 11.6%
1992 18 12.3%
1993 31 21.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 60,000 miles Kansas City, MO Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS

DRIVER WAS RESTRAINED BY SEATBELT. DURING COLLISION, SEATBELT BECAME UNANCHORED FROM THE FLOOR AND CAME LOOSE CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN INTO STEERING WHEEL, UNDER DASHBOARD AND INTO WINDSHIELD. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SPEED AND MILEAGE ARE STATED AS APPROXIMATES BY COUNSEL , WILL SUPPLEMENT IF NECESSARY. THE DRIVER WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT A LAWFUL SPEED WITHIN THE SPEED LIMIT.

NHTSA complaint #10240760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lowell, VT

SEAT BELTS

PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT. ALSO, NONE OF SEATBACKS STAY IN A LOCKED POSITION. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE WAY TO DRIVE A VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #891536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Caro, MI

SEAT BELTS

MOTORIZED DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT BECOMES INOPERATIVE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF PROTECTION.

NHTSA complaint #825580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ogben, UT

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE BELT RETRACTOR BROKE. PLEASE DESCCRIBE .

NHTSA complaint #803606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarksvill, TN

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOESN'T WORK. PLEASE DESCRIBE .

NHTSA complaint #803433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oglesly, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT MOVE. YOU CAN HEAR MOTOR RUNNING BUT IT STAYS IN ONE POSITION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC TRACK THAT HARNESS RUNS ON IS NOT VISIBLE AS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE TRACK IS EITHER BROKEN OR STUCK DOWN INSIDE MOTOR AREA.

NHTSA complaint #985972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oglesly, IL

SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT MOVE. YOU CAN HEAR MOTOR RUNNING BUT IT STAYS IN ONE POSITION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC TRACK THAT HARNESS RUNS ON IS NOT VISIBLE AS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE TRACK IS EITHER BROKEN OR STUCK DOWN INSIDE MOTOR AREA.

NHTSA complaint #985972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peoria, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVERS LAPBELT BUCKLE OCCASIONALLY UNLATCHES. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #483429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hammond, IN

SEAT BELTS

MOTORIZED SEATBELT LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION, THE MOTOR CONTINUES TO GRIND.

NHTSA complaint #984322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Castle, PA

SEAT BELTS

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT STICKS/NOISY.

NHTSA complaint #487118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO LOCK IN ACCIDENT, ALLOWING DRIVERS HEAD TO IMPACT STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #490828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pleasanton, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS FAILED, RED RELEASE BUTTON IS BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #980576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pleasanton, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS FAILED, RED RELEASE BUTTON IS BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #980576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pleasanton, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS FAILED, RED RELEASE BUTTON IS BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #980576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peoria, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

DRIVER'S SIDE LAP SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AFTER CLIPPING IT INTO BUCKLE.

NHTSA complaint #483540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mahopac, NY

SEAT BELTS

PASSIVE RESTRAINT UPON ENTRY FAILS LOCKING UP PREVENTING EXIT. PASSENGER SIDE CONSTANTLY REMAINS IN OPEN POSITION.TT CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE CLIP UNDER THE HEADER PANEL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BEING PERMANENTLY CLOSED SO NOW THE PASSENGER HS TO MANUALLYPLACE THE HARNESS AROUND THEM.

NHTSA complaint #972959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

RIO Rancho, NM

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION OF DRIVER'S LAP BELT BUCKLE WHEN WON'T ENGAGE OR WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES DISENGAGES. TT

NHTSA complaint #972767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jamaica, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

BOTH FRONT SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT OR HOLD THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA complaint #972774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW York, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT STAY FASTENED. TT

NHTSA complaint #970809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fresno, CA Crash

SEAT BELTS

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, AUTOMATIC BELTS FAILED. TT

NHTSA complaint #967613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1989 Ford Thunderbird problems

← Full 1989 Ford Thunderbird report