18 of the 1,855 complaints about the 1996 Ford Windstar are about the seat belts — 1% of everything reported for this model year.
18
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DT: WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS DISCONNECTED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN COLLAR BONE AND BRUISED RIBS. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THIS OCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10142610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SHOULDER RETRACTOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN THE MIDDLE BENCH SEAT. WILL NOT RETRACT ENOUGH FOR BELT TO GO AROUND CONSUMER. CAN'T PULL OUT MANUALLY. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8009856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL IN WINTER CONDITIONS, IMPACT WITH TREE, SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, DRIVER EJECTED AND HELD OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE IN SEAT BELT. SEVERE RIB, LUNG INJURIES WITH HEART CONTUSION. IMPACT WITH TREE LEFT FRONT QUARTERPANEL, VEHICLE TOTALED. (DOT NUMBER: NOT KNOWN TIRESIZE: 15)
NHTSA complaint #741092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION, HITTING THE LEFT FENDER IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RELEASED FROM THE BUCKLE HOUSING, CAUSING DRIVER TO MOVE FORWARD. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #864490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
STITCHING ON PASSENGER SEATBELT COMPLETELY DETERIORIATED AT FLOOR HOLD DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #720904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
WAS TRAVELING 40-45MPH IN FOGGY WEATHER WHEN A DEER APPEARED IN THE ROAD. HIT DEER & BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED,CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUFFER BURNS ON THE FACE & ARMS. ALSO, FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER.
NHTSA complaint #857723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT LOCK, AND DRIVER'S SIDE IS TWISTED AND DOES NOT LOCK EITHER. HAS TO MANUALLY FEED THE BELT BACK INSIDE OF THE RETRACTOR.
NHTSA complaint #847701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED, TRAPPING CHILD IN BELT. NO SAFETY RELEASE VISABLE, OR IN MANUAL. CONTACTED FORD, NO DATA AVAILABLE. FORD REFERED ME TO CONTACT N.H.T.S.A.
NHTSA complaint #706476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
REAR SEAT FOLDS DOWN INTO A CHILD SAFETY SEAT, HOWEVER THE SEAT BELTS ARE TOO TIGHT, CUT CHILDS CIRCULATION OFF. AW
NHTSA complaint #516190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SHOULDER PART 0F THE SEAT BELT WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH ON WET PAVEMENT AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING HEAD-ON AND COLLIDED. THE SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T HOLD THE DRIVER. 4 OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #833576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE SHOULDER STRAP BELT DIDN'T STOP THE CONSUMER FROM HITTING THE WINDOW AS ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING HEAD-ON INTO THE CONSUMER. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN AWAY FROM THE OTHER VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #833649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SOMEONE RAN INTO CONSUMER HEAD-ON, AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD HIM. DRIVER/WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN WERE INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #833601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE SAFETY BELTS LOCATED ON THE RIGHT FRONT, AND THE REAR SEATS, LOCK UP WHILE RIDING NORMALLY IN THE VEHICLE, ACTUALLY SQUEEZING THE OCCUPANT, SO THE OCCUPANT HAS TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT AND THEN REFASTEN IT DUE TO THE PENDILUM LOCKING UP. ALSO IF YOU ARE SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEAT BELT ON, AND LEAN FORWARD TO PICK SOMETHING UP, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK UP, AND AGAIN YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT, AND THEN REFASTEN IT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE FREEDOM FORD DEALER, AND THEY ADVISED ME, THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO! I AM A POLICE OFFICER, AND HAVE ATTENDED NUMEROUS TRAINING COURSES, AND KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE PROPER WAY THAT THE SEAT BELT OPERATES, AND EXPLAINED THAT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERSONAL, BUT THEY DISMISSED MY COMPLAINT, AND STATED, DO WHAT EVER YOU HAVE TO!.
NHTSA complaint #700665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE ENTERING AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE PAASENGER'S SIDE BY ANOTHE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN CONSUMER. HIT REAR MIRROR AND SPLIT HEAD OPEN AND GOT A CONCUSSION.
NHTSA complaint #781135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
MIDDLE SEAT AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #603267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
OWNER JUST BOUGHT VEHICLE AND IS HAVING SEAT BELT PROBLEMS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, DEALERS DO NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #805606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
A CHILD GOT TANGLED IN REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT, THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND WAS STRANGLING THE CHILD, THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT.
NHTSA complaint #802008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT WOULDN'T WORK, CONSUMER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO COULDN'T DO ANYTHING . PLEASE DESCRIBE .
NHTSA complaint #801239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.