The motorized retracting shoulder belt for the driver's safety belt ceased working and is stuck in the non-locked position as if the driver is getting in or out of the car. An emergency crank is provided to manually move the belt along the track but it will not move. The motor for the belt drive seems to be ok but the cable in the track seems to be stuck. An estimate for the repair is $600 and the motor and cable track is over $400.

- Capitola, CA, USA

Making left hand turn and was hit on passenger side. My seat belt broke. Car was totaled.

- Denver, CA, USA

: the contact stated the passive restraints stop at the corner of the door post and do not properly restrain the driver or passenger. There is a gap of six inches between the safety belts and door post. A replacement track for the safety belt will be obtained through a salvage yard to repair the vehicle. The contact, who is a mechanic, has seen many of the 1991 through 1996 Escorts with the same problem. Because the passive restraint is no longer being manufactured, the contact feels the manufacturer should replace these passive restraints with regular safety belts.

- Meriden, KS, USA

: the contact stated the automatic seatbelts have come off the track. This occurred on both the front driver and passenger side. Both seatbelt assemblies will have to be replaced to correct the problem.

- Carthage, MO, USA

Failure of power assisted shoulder harness, which could result in serious upper body injury. I replace the defective assemble with one from an auto salvage yard because of the expense of a new one ($265).

- Dearborn Heights, MI, USA

While driving consumer's vehicle was rear ended. Driver's seat beltsnapped in half, and consumer was injured.

- Navarre, FL, USA

Driver side automatic shoulder belt inoperative, vehicle owner cited by local authorities for belt violation.

- Newark, OH, USA

The driver side automatic shoulder belt is stuck four inches above the lock position. It can not be moved using the mechanical over ride. A Ford service representative has inspected it and claims the track itself is damaged and as a result, the motor is burned out. Estimated cost to repair is more than $500. There are a number if similar complaints in the NHTSA database, including an acknowledgement by Ford service personal that the problem is wide spread. It is an unsafe situation, as the driver is not securely strapped in, even when fastening the belt manually, because it is too far from the shoulder to protect the driver in a collision. ****dimsii IVOQ entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****769306

- Washougal, WA, USA

The front automatic seat belt continuously failed, which resulted in the belt being inoperative. The entire system needed to be replaced.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

The left front safety belt broke without warning. The left front sliding tract of the seat belt were replaced. Scc

- Carmel, ME, USA

Driver side seat belt, cruise control, and paint on hood.

- Denton, TX, USA

Occasionally the lap portion of the drivers side seat belt gets stuck in the mechanism. The problem was corrected last summer by dealer. The owner is experiencing the problem with the lap portion of the seat belt again. The dealer is not aware of the problem at this time.

- Rockville, MD, USA