The contact owns a 1999 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the rear seat belt retractors have malfunctioned. The seat belts will not pull out to be used, therefore she cannot restrain anyone in the rear seats. Both seat belts failed within one month of each other. She stated that the rear seats are rarely used, therefore the failure could not have been caused by excessive or improper use. The dealer stated that she is beyond the extended warranty for the belts and the repair would cost $476. The dealer also stated that her VIN was not included in recall number 99V250000 (seat belts:front:anchorage). The failure mileage was 77,000 and current mileage was 78,000.

- Erie, PA, USA

Rear passenger seat 3-pount safety belt failure. Belt locked and would not retract and function as a usable safety device. The replacement cost was $69.07 for the belt and $145 labor. This is the second failure. In 2004, the rear driver seat 3-point belt also failed and had to be replaced.

- Arlington Heigths, IL, USA

1. normal operation of vehicle. 2. rear seat belt retraction mechanisms fail. Replaced 1, unit failed again. Now neither of the 2 units work. Unable to use the vehicle with more than 2 passengers. 3. 1 part replaced, failed again within 1 year.

- Sterling, MA, USA

Ford Taurus 1999, both rear seat belts seized up. The consumer has replaced both rear seat belts, the cause was the plastic spool that the seat belt wrapped around had cracked and broke into pieces, the pieces became jammed in the seat belts as they were retracted or extended. The hub of the spool that the seat belt wrapped around was also severely cracked in many places.

- Massillon, OH, USA

Rear seat seatbelts quit working for no apparent reason. None of the seat belts in the vehicle will not retract.

- Massillon, OH, USA

Rear seatbelt retractors nonfunctional. Belt is out does not retract or adjust back in.this has happened three times to this car. Once when first purchased, fixed at no cost. Last year, one retractor replaced at my expense. Now again.

- Peabody, MA, USA

Rewind spring on seat belt became undone from its anchor, rendering seat belt useless. The problem happened with the rear seat belt.

- Massillon, OH, USA

The rear lap/shoulder seatbelts on both sides do not retract correctly. One stopped retracting completely, and the other intermittently, causing them to be unsafe and unusable. I found NHTSA safety recall #99V250000 for a similar problem, which I brought to the attention of the dealer and manufacturer, but they said that it did not cover my specific vehicle. So, replacing this defective part becomes my responsibility.

- Ashby, MA, USA

Passenger safety belt, in back seat will not retract. Went to my Ford dealer to have them replace it under my extended warranty, but they said "normal". this belt never retracts like the others and often the door gets shut on it. Discovered later that there was a recall for these back seat belts, but the belt's date of manufacture not in the range for the recall.

- Cary, NC, USA

Seat belts were not working properly. Consumer replaced three seat belts due to malfunctioned retractor.

- Katy, TX, USA

In a 1999 Ford Taurus SE, my 6 year old son became trapped in a seat belt that was not even buckled. After arriving home at 9 P.M. my son had just unbuckled his seat belt when somehow he pulled the seat belt over him and the seat belt wrapped around him and it was around his waist and back. The seat belt just kept getting tighter on him and would not release just like a cowboys lasoe. Any slack I could get was going up in the shoulder restraint. The belt would not give me any slack. This was in the rear seat on the drivers side. After it got so tight that my son was crying in pain and panic, I finally had to cut the seat belt to free my son. My complaint is that this should have never happened. Why is there no slack given on the seat belt especially in a parked car. The belt should not keep locking and taking up slack. This is an unseen danger lurking that could entrap a child. The belt will entrap a child without being secured in the buckle. Beware!!

- Bogalusa, LA, USA

Rear seatbelt difficult to latch wtih child seat / booster seat present. When using a child safety seat with build in straps in combination with the center rear seat lapbelt with optional stud mounted on strap for shoulder belt attachment, this flaw is not that evident. Although, as the child progresses into the booster seat stage and has outgrown the weight of the child seat safety staps, the use of a booster seat in the center rear with combination lap belt becomes very difficult to latch. The act of latching the seatbelt can range from first try to 20 or 30 attempts before it latches. Multiple female seat belt recepticles where used, same effect on all. It appears that the deatchable should belt assembly has a rather large metal buckle that has such a large area that it prevents the entire assemble from allowing enough of the seat belt slot to enter the receptible for the evident click. If car is not taken, the car seat may inadvertantly be left unbelted if the click is not heard. Once the buckle does perform the "click" it appears to be secure, but as a driver I constantly worry about the integrity of that belt assembly. This problem appear to show more often during colder winter months. 40F and below.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

Consumer had a front end collison and air bags did not deploy. Driver/passenger sustained injuries. At the time of front end collision the hood came in through windsheild on right side. Seat belt failed in rear which is holding child's seat. Back rest on left back seat came loose.

- New Orleans, LA, USA