Freshmeat

(Before reading, keep in mind- this is fresh as it happened 45 seconds ago and I'm still pretty pissed that it keeps happening, so forgive any extremist comments.)

What in the WORLD triggers the seatbelt to lock?! I'll be driving around, take a curve or something, then lean forward to reposition and the **** seatbelt is locked and I have to go into convulsions pulling on the seatbelt while shifting, steering, etc to get it to free up again.

It's going to cause a wreck.

I understand the seatbelt locking for safety in an accident, but I am violently claustrophobic and it takes everything in me to not lose it when the seatbelt locks on me like it does. It's happened almost every drive so far. I need to figure out whether it's a feature that I need to figure out how to bypass or if it's broken.

Please help, it's legitimately affecting my enjoyment of the car. It doesn't just not move enough. It locks tight against me, almost like the car is thinking I've slammed the brakes and it's actually sucking in any excess belt.

bob

Inertia - no seriously! If I pull briskly away from a stop in my car it will happen like clockwork.

cdynaco

My older rig is a pain on a bumpy gravel road. Can't even reach the stereo. But haven't noticed it being excessive in the S197.

Freshmeat

That's basically what I've decided is causing it. Just like if you pull away quickly, it mostly happens for me enjoying the new springs in the curves... but I'm not even taking them fast (traffic and caution won't allow for me to do what I really want to do.)

I wonder if it's something that can be adjusted. Even just a little bit could improve it a lot.

Ethanjbeau

i agree completely. The lock is EXTREMELY excessive to the point where every time i try to lean up it doesn't allow me.

Driver72

It's like those window shades that if you pull them down slowly no problem, but if you jerk on them quickly/violently they lock up.

If it locks up, cool hand luke needs to prevail. Just grab onto it and gently give them a little back and forth tug and the locking mechanism should release.
In our overly paranoid and increasingly safety conscience world they often go to extremes with that and in some cars stability control and other nannies that kick in way to fast and easily.

Flagstang

ive also had this problem. its hard to check a blind spot when you cant lean forward.

db2797

That's precisely what makes seat belts safe and effective though. The belt is recognizing G forces and as soon as it gauges a force, it immediately locks to prevent you from flying forward. At what point should it lock? After you've already flown forward a foot in a high speed crash? The idea is to keep you as close to the seat as possible, locking you into position at the beginning of a high speed crash so as first of all not to make it dangerous by putting you in a vulnerable position forward in your seat, but also to keep you tight in the seat to prevent you from slipping through the slack of the belt and flying out of the car.

Freshmeat

I'm 6'4" and 265#s- I'm not flying through any slack!!

Double-EDad

Man this is spooky - I was thinking of posting a thread on this exact subject tonight, asking if anyone else had this issue, at least on the convertible!!

What I've noticed is that while the locking works OK, the UNlocking is what sometimes doesnt work right. I try to pull my shoulder back, exhale, etc. but it's STILL locked despite the fact that all acceleration forces are long gone. The only thing that seems to work is pushing FORWARD/against the belt as hard as I can, and then releasing back to my normal position. THAT seems to break the seeming ratchet aspect of the mechanism and release the belt lock.

Yes, this is a good intention that is badly executed. Ford should fix this somehow. And not just for everyone from 2012-on or whatever. A TSB if not a full recall is required, IMHO.

Ltngdrvr

It sounds like it is working as designed to, a pain sometimes.

Do like my dad does in all his cars, take a big spring clip style paperclip and draw some slack in the shoulder part of the belt and stick the clip on it to hold the slack.

Double-EDad

My entire point is that I don't think it's working as designed to. An important part of a locking seatbelt design is UNLOCKING properly, which as I posted above, it doesn't do.

Ltngdrvr

Take it to the dealer and tell them to fix it. I don't think they will be able to make it any better though.

Double-EDad

Yeah, I think you're right, because contrary to what I said above I think it probably IS working as it's DESIGNED to work - it's just not designed well! A more correct way of explaining it is that it's a sub-optimal design, i.e. design doesn't fulfill intent.

Jott

In my experience, every car in the past 10 years does this. If you're accelerating or breaking its going to lock up when wrenched on. If you move slowly it's 50/50. If you're just cruising you'll be fine.

StGry11

As soon as I drove out of the dealership, it all came back to me. My '06 GT had a seatbelt that strangled me the same way. That was the only complaint I had with that car, that wasn't covered by a TSB! Ford fixed everything else, but I was stuck with that belt system. Now it's back! I can't turn, reach, or move without it tightening up! On long trips it seems to gradually get tighter and tighter, until I have to hook my thumb under it to get some slack. Hmm, and I thought it was just me.

houtex

Mine doesn't do this, but then she's a 2006, so perhaps they changed the inertia switch.

It's a really simple mechanical lock that simply swings into place if the car is decelerating. I check it every day to ensure it's not screwed up by braking a little at the end of the drive and pushing forward on the belt with my chest. If I don't go anywhere, it's working. When I accelerate, I then push forward a little and it lets go, and that's normal.

So it's likely that they changed it, or more likely it's damaged/faulty/sticky. Like something got in the pivot and is jamming it.

Indeed, take it to the dealer. It should not trap you like that.

Glenn

I pull out some slack and put a clip on it so it doesn't return.

Ltngdrvr

Golly, wish I had suggested that.

Oh wait, I did!

hawkeye18

I sure hope you don't get in a wreck like that. Leaving slack in the belt allows your body to continue accelerating as the car stops, slamming your body into the belt. This won't happen if the belt is already tight. Doing that is what breaks ribs, causes internal bleeding, etc.

That is why pre-tensioners exist in the first place.