Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Drivers seat belt buckle was connected when a collision occurred at an intersection involving a Honda accord. Upon collision, drivers seat belt strap broke the top ring portion of buckle during driver's forward momentum which caused the metal ring to snap releasing the safety belt strap and failing to arrest driver in his seat and causing driver to impact top door frame with head. Both air bags were deployed. Driver sustained minor scalp contusions and minor sore neck and shoulder pain. Vallejo ca police report #15-06667 insurance claim (Mercury insurance):claim number 2015 0015 003636 - 29 (claim currently in progress)
Front seat belts on the Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab (driver and passenger side) are locked - they will not pull out of the retractor mechanism built into the seat back, so they cannot be used. Seat belts are supposed to be a fairly simple mechanical design because of the safety issues involved, but apparently Chrysler chose to use an onboard computer to electrically complicate the issue. Have been told that any parts to attempt a repair are obsolete and unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the driver and passenger side seat belts failed to operate without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 167,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 09/30/16
Front seat belts locked up, will not pull out from the re- tractors. The Dodge dealer was unable to fix the problem. Because of the seat belt law, we are not able to use the truck. It was parked, we started to go, the belts were locked.
Our seat belts locked up on our 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. Took our Dodge truck to Dodge dealership 06/05/2017 who said our seat belt control module had gone out. We paid $400 to replace. Pickup on 06/26/2017. 3 days later 06/29/2017 while towing our 20 ft north river boat across charleston harbor bridge on the down hill side to port launch ramp our vehicle power shut down, seat belts locked up again and our boat weight pushed hitch into our truck destroying the hitch and wheel jack. The boat had to be towed ( $399) to be repaired and $150. In hitch repairs. The truck itself would not start until the battery negative wire was removed. Vehicle was driven directly to dealership about 5 miles away. A local police officer was following behind our vehicle and stopped to help; calling a tow truck. No report was filed or required. …
Tl* - the contact stated that when she got into her 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 (failure mileage: 100000) the seat belts were retracted and locked. The contact took the vehicle to the shop and they notified her of the recall on the retractor. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that they were not aware of the recall and asked her to make an appointment. Updated 2/22/2007 - both front seat belt were locked in the retracted position and could not be used. The seat belt light is illuminated on the dash. The water pump has been replaced. The air conditioning has been replaced. The brake lines have been replaced. The rear end has been replaced. The driver's side window would not roll down.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that both front seat belt retractors no longer functioned. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was advised that she would have to replace the retractors at her expense. In addition, the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 01V119000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The contact called the manufacturer who verified that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 110,000. Updated 07/21/11 the consumer stated the seat belt could not be used, because they would not retract. Updated 12/30/11
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that neither front seat belt would pull out from their retractors. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the sensor box under each seat would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Dash covering airbag's deteriorating, seatbelt doesn't rewind, seat back doesn't latch into a secure position. I wonder if the dash will explode on impact and will the shards of plastic cause further injury. During a sudden braking event will the seat back throw everybody in the vehicle into the dash if the seatbelts fail? No injuries yet. Can't afford all the repairs.
While appempting to stop the brakes did not stop the vehicle (vehicle has anti-lock brakes on rear wheels only), the seat belt did not hold the passenger causing him to move forward and hit both knees on the dash, the seat belt grabbed yanking passenger back into door and the passenger hit head on the window, air bags also failed to deploy. Nlm
Seat Belt complaints in other Ram 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the seat belts of the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500, 4% of the model year's 610 complaints. The component named most often is front › retractor (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to seat belts problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.