Front Seat Belt Buckle Assembly problems of the 1996 Ford Explorer

The contact owns a 1996 Ford Explorer. While the vehicle was parked, the contact tried to fasten his seat belt and it would not lock into place. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for repair. The approximately failure mileage was 195,000.

The contact owns a 1996 Ford Explorer. The vehicle was parked when the contact detected the front driver side seat belt buckle would not remain completely secure in a locked position. The contact had concern of the safety risk involved. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

1996 Ford Explorer seat belt comes unlatched 10-15 times per day, driver side only and I am the original owner. . . . . Thanks.

I can't latch the driver seat belt buckle. The red buckle release button doesn't spring"when inserting the buckle nor when I push it as I would to release a buckle. This occurrence was sudden, with no prior warning of possible failure. Until I can replace (or repair) the failed equipment, I need to latch the drivers seat belt into the front passenger belt latch. This action of pulling my seat belt to the passenger belt latch results in my neck being rubbed by my upper chest belt, which is aggravating.

About six months ago, the front passenger side seatbelt on my 1996 Ford Explorer stopped working. The clip would often become stuck and would need to be pried out with a screwdriver or similar object or it would occasionally just not clip in at all. Finally it became completely stuck and the whole clip mechanism had to be torn out. I went to a Ford dealership as well as a body shop to get an estimate on fixing it and both said that it would be $250. 00 in parts and would be around $300. 00 total. When I went to a junkyard to find a replacement seatbelt, they said that the '95 and '96 Explorers they had also had the same problem so I had to get a replacement seatbelt from an earlier model and then installed it myself. Now the driver's side front seat belt won't work either. It won't clip in at all. I haven't done anything to fix this problem yet.

Vehicle: 1996 Ford Explorer failure: the driver side seat belt buckle spring failed, and will not latch properly, resulting in release of the seat belt under very light pull. Cannot comply with seat belt usage laws due to the failure of the part.

: the contact stated the driver's side front seat belt buckle assembly will not stay secured. The dealer was alerted. The contact is planning on having the vehicle repaired. Updated 5/3/2006 - the buckle spring broke due to wear which resulted in the belt not latching.

The contact stated the driver's side seat belt was not properly latching. It would unlatch while in use. The contact had to slam on the brakes and the force caused the seat belt to come unlatched. The contact hit her head. Now, the seat belt will not latch. When contact's husband bought the new seat belt assembly to install it the sales person claimed he sold multiple of these sets, and they worked well.

Driver's side seat belt buckle does not latch completely. One day later it does not latch at all.

The front driver's side seat belt latch will not stay buckled, ea02-011. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

While driving driver's front seat belt locked, restraining the driver, even when driving at a constant speed. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The cause had not been determined.

Buckle end of the drivers side seat belt no longer works. Buckle end needs to be replaced.

Driver's side seat belt malfunctioned. The seat belt unbuckled by itself while fastened. This left driver unrestrained and unprotected in the event of an emergency stop or crash. The female portion of the seat belt apparatus was replaced with a used part from a junked vehicle.

The buckle on the driver's side seat belt is broken. I am unable to keep the seat belt fastened for approximately 1 week now.

Consumer noticed that the driver's seat belt does not lock properly. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the seat belt needed to be replaced.

Driver' s side seat belt will not stay latched. A safety problem. Does Ford even care if I'm killed because it comes unlatched. Thank you fmc. I'll be at the Toyota dealership. This is a problem that Ford should fix.

The seat belt failed due to a fatigue crack in the buckles spring.

Seat belt failure. The drivers seatbelt fails to hold/latch. Seatbelt is completely unuseable.

Seat belt buckle failure, driver's side, 1996 Ford Explorer XLT, @72000 miles. Car is in good condition otherwise, never wrecked. Over the course of two weeks, the buckle went from to "popping-out the latch" occasionally to being near impossible to secure the latch in to the buckle and random "pop-outs". The buckle was replaced and I kept the old buckle.

Drivers seat belt over the course of 3 weeks, gradually went from popping out in to not working at all. Went back to Ford, over $200. 00 to repair it.

1996 Ford Explorer, drivers side seat belt will not stay latched.

Driver's seatbelt will not latch, and consumer is unable to use it while driving. Cause unknown. Dealer notified.

Driver's side seat belt buckle would not stay latched, and plastic on passenger side seat belt is cracking. Feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.

Rear passenger seat belt latch was placed into center position receptacle, and was unable to get it released. Had to cut belt to free the passeanger. Dealer / manufacturer were not notified at this time. Feel free to provide any further information.

All of the seat belts do not latch. Dealer notified.

Driver's side rear seat belt locked up, and would not release from locking mechanism . Seat belt had to be cut to release child from the seat. Please give any further details.

Seat belts lock into place, preventing driver from leaning foward.

While driving and seat belt is fastened, when moving around,seat belt will come undone. Dealer has been notified. Please provide further information.

The driver's seat belt did not latch properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated the buckle needed to be replaced.

Driver's side/rear passenger's seat belt buckles would not unlatch, causing the occupant to become trapped in the seat. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Please provide any further details.

Vehicle was involved in a collision in which vehicle rolled over, and passenger seat belt buckle released from locking mechanism. Please give any further details.

Consumer states that rear seat belt buckles are tight together and that the release buttons are located at the tops of the buckles making them very difficult to unlatch. *jada.

The vehicle is a 2 door, Ford Explorer sport. Each of the two rear passenger seats have a seat belt. The left seat (looking in the forward direction ) has the seat belt connector on the right side. The right seat has the seat belt fastener on the left side. The problem is that the two fasteners almost touch and if someone has to push the buttom on either one to unfasten it, it is very very difficult to separate the fasteners to push the button.