THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES ARE DEFECTIVE IN THREE WAYS. FIRST, A FASTENED SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH WHEN THE RELEASE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED. THIS RESULTS FROM INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE BUCKLE EJECTOR FINGER AND THE BUCKLE TONGUE WINDOW. THE SECOND DEFECT IS THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE MAY NOT LATCH. THE THIRD POSSIBLE DEFECT IS THAT THE TONGUE MAY BE RETAINED BY THE BUCKLE, BUT IT MAY NOT BE LATCHED SUFFICIENTLY TO PROVIDE OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
AN INSUFFICIENTLY LATCHED OR UNLATCHED SAFETY BELTINCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO SEAT OCCUPANTS IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT. IF THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT UNLATCH, IT WILL NOT ALLOW THEOCCUPANT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
FORD WILL REPLACE THE RIGID MOUNTED SAFETY BELT BUCKLES WITH END RELEASE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES DESIGNED TO PREVENT LATCH PROBLEMS.
SYSTEM: SAFETY BELT BUCKLE.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS AND UTILITY VEHICLES.NOTE: ONLY THE END RELEASE BUCKLES ON "RIGID" MOUNTINGS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THISMALFUNCTION, THE WEB-MOUNTED FRONT CENTER END RELEASE BUCKLES AND THEWEB-MOUNTED REAR FACING THIRD SEAT END RELEASE BUCKLES IN TAURUS OR SABLEVEHICLES WILL NOT BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE WEB-MOUNTED FRONT CENTER BUCKLES INEXPLORER VEHICLES WILL NOT BE REPLACED.