The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE A PIN SHAFT IN THE SWITCHABLE ELR/ALR MECHANISM THAT IS INCORRECTLY FORMED. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SWITCHING MECHANISM COULD BECOME NONFUNCTIONAL, PREVENTING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING FROM BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE RETRACTOR. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MALFUNCTION OF THE MECHANISM COULD PREVENT THE BELT FROM BEING SWITCHED INTO THE ALR MODE. THE ELR MECHANISM IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.
The risk
IF THE MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONS AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE WEBBING TO BE EXTRACTED, THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COULD NOT BE WORN BY A VEHICLE OCCUPANT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE MECHANISM DOES NOT ALLOW THE ALR MODE TO BE ENGAGED, THE OPERATOR MAY BE UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL A CHILD SEAT IN THAT SEATING POSITION.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLIES. ASSEMBLIES WITH JULIAN DATE CODES OF 200 THROUGH 223 ARE SUSPECT AND WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Ford Mustang | 1999, 2000 |
| Ford Taurus | 1999 |
| Lincoln Continental | 2000 |
| Mercury Sable | 1999 |
Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Mustang | 1999 | 213 | 3 |
| Ford Mustang | 2000 | 311 | 2 |
| Ford Taurus | 1999 | 874 | 5 |
| Lincoln Continental | 2000 | 63 | 3 |
| Mercury Sable | 1999 | 258 | 5 |
Other seat belts recalls in 1999
10 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the seat belts; FORD MOTOR COMPANY filed 963 campaigns in all.
| 99V328000 22 Nov 1999 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC. |
| 99V308000 2 Nov 1999 | COLLINS BUS CORPORATION |
| 99V280000 20 Oct 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V269000 12 Oct 1999 | TIARA MOTOR COACH DIVISION |
| 99V266000 7 Sept 1999 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 99V221000 11 Aug 1999 | PAN-WIT, INC. |
| 99V155000 28 Jun 1999 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 99V118000 12 May 1999 | SPARTAN MOTORS, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999