Table 1 shows two common seat belt related problems of the 2002 Toyota 4Runner.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Front Seat Belt problems | |
| Seat Belt problems |
In October '02 I was involved in a frontal collision with another vehicle that was turning from south to west as I was travelling north. My vehicle ended up colliding with the other vehicle at its passenger front axle and my driver side front end. As contact occurred, I had my wheels turned hard to the right thusly causing my vehicle to gradually whip the back end around causing a side impact as well. The other vehicle was pushed northward approx. 15-25 feet before the collision came to an end. Both vehicles were disabled in this occurrence with damage to the passenger side and front engine compartment of the opposing vehicle. And, damage to the front end, both sides, left rear wheel, and front engine compartment of my vehicle. The opposing vehicle was totalled out and my vehicle has initial estimates in the $16,000-$17,000 price range. To my complaint, three things happened that brought me great concern. First, as I was trying to avoid the collision with the other vehicle by applying my brakes and turning my wheels, the left rear tire slipped off of the frame of the wheel instantly deflating leaving me with only one good tire to brake on. Second, upon contact with the other vehicle, my seatbelt did not lock out causing me to be jettisoned up out of my seat and forward into the framework where the roof, front windshield, and driver's side window come together. Head, neck, and high spinal injuries occurred. Thirdly, the air bags at no time deployed. Speed estimates upon impact were approx. 30mph. Upon doing research, I have come to find that most air bags are set to deploy in accidents where more than 50% of the front end has damage and the speed of the vehicle is somewhere between 12-18mph. I thought going into the purchase of this vehicle I was making a wise decision both in terms of value and safety performance. I thought wrong!.
I was at a full stop, behind a line of cars, at a red light, on a city street. A Jeep liberty SUV rear-ended me at approximately 30 mph, pushing me into the car in front of me, and totaling my vehicle. My shoulder belt did not lock in place, causing me to hit, and crack, the windshield, with the left frontal aspect of my skull, resulting in a concussion. The driver of the vehicle that ran into me, was taken by ambulance to the hospital. While my car was at the collision repair center, before it was taken to salvage, I went to gather my belongings that were inside my 4runner. At the recommendation of my local Toyota dealer service manager, I repeatedly tested both the driver, and front passenger shoulder belts, by abruptly and rapidly pulling on them. The driver side belt only locked in place once, during approximately 10 trials. The passenger shoulder belt locked in place every time.