Complaint 1160518

Complaint Summary

SEAT BELTS

Owner Narrative

I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT SEATBELTS IN RECENT (2000) CAR MODELS. I'VE RIDDEN IN CHEVROLET, CHRYSLER, FORD AND GMC VEHICLES AND ALL THESE VEHICLES (AT LEAST IN THE FRONT SEATS) HAVE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER HARNESSES. THESE HARNESSES KEEP RETRACTING WHEN YOU HAVE THEM ON AS YOU ARE DRIVING. SINCE I AM ONLY 5 FEET TALL, THE HARNESS CHOKES ME. ON MOST OCCASIONS WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I CAN SLIDE THE HARNESS OVER MY HEAD AND ONLY BE BELTED IN WITH THE SEATBELT UNTIL I CAN EITHER PULL OVER SAFELY TO FIX IT OR AM AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN AND CAN FIX IT. TO FIX THE STRANGULATION OF THE HARNESS, I HAVE UNHOOK THE WHOLE HARNESS AND LET IT TOTALLY RETRACT, THEN PULL IT OUT TO WHERE I CAN KEEP MY HAND ON IT SO IT DOESN'T KEEP GETTING TIGHTER OR USE A CLIP TO TRY TO KEEP IT FROM TIGHTENING ON ME. THE CLIPS ARE WINGED PAPER CLIPS, SO THEY DON'T ALWAYS HOLD. MY ISSUE IS THAT AS I'M DRIVING, I'M BEING STRANGLED BY THE HARNESSES IN THESE VEHICLES. PLEASE, CAN YOU START LEGISLATION TO PREVENT RETRACTABLE HARNESSES OR MAKE IT THAT THE RETRACTION IS CONTROLLED BY THE RIDER? THANK YOU. *JS

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.