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 1997 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was involved in a one car accident with some stone guard rails on route 18 north in eatontown, new jersey. My seat belt release on impact and sent me flying to the passenger side of the car on top of my boyfriend. Also the air bags never deployed. And we hit the gurad rails at 65 MPH. I would like to hear something back from someone at the Ford headquarters. Because my boyfriend and I could hav lost ours lives due to the defects of this car. The car is totaled out. Andmy boyfriend only walked away with a bruised shoulder and whiplash, while I on the other hand had a concussion, whiplash and various muscle strains. I thank my god .
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Ford Taurus. The contact stated after closing his seat belt, it would retract back. The vehicle was not inspected nor had it been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000. I have not had the defect repaired. The buckle releases by itself approx 2% of the time, even after I pull on it initially and it seems secure. I was in a accident approx 2-3 years ago, and the belt didn't release. It was a minor accident with on injuries. [redacted]
While driving on a local street vehicle then remained standing at an intersection at a red light with two vehicles ahead. Another vehicle, traveling south bound on connecticut ave making a left turn onto van ness, was traveling too fast, lost control and side swiped the vehicle in front of consumer's vehicle, pushing it onto the sidewalk. A chain reaction started in which consumer's vehicle was hit head-on. Upon impact, passenger's side airbag deployed after the passenger hit the windshield, and the seat belt didn't lock in place. Contacted dealer.
Dt*: the contact stated the safety belts in the vehicle did not function properly. The front passenger belt did not feed at all. The rear safety belts did not retract at all after being unbuckled. The vehicle was not taken in for service.
3 different seat belts on this vehicle have seized up -- completely failed -- in the 6 years we have owned the car. The seat belts lock in place, and are then non-functioning. We are about to replace that third broken seat belt.
The drivers side seat belt failed approximately 6 inches above the anchor bolt, at the "b" pillar post. This information is being provided by officer r.l. Mcedward, (9359), california highway patrol per c.h.p. Policy.
The rear center seat is supposed to be the safest place for a child. Unfortunatly that is not the case when the rear center seat belt fails. Thankfully this incident happened when our car was safely parked in our driveway. My husband had noticed the car seat was loose (which in itself is a dangerous situation created by this inproperly functioning seatbelt buckle) & he tried to tighten the belt. The buckle fell to pieces all over my back seat. It is going to cost me nearly $100 to repair this faulty seatbelt. A small price for keeping my son safe (until this breaks as well) . . . . But this is going to cost Ford even more if some unsuspecting family is injured by the very device that claims to save lives.
Seatbelts do not retract correctly and lockup at inappropriate times. Dealer and Ford motor were contacted and advised us that this was not covered under warranty. Can you believe that??? This vehicle was purchased used with the extended warranty (through travelers) at additional cost -- safety equipment is not covered. We're screwed. Estimate of over $400 to correct by dealer. Presently looking at aftermarket alternatives to replace defective Ford components. Not certain whether "genuine" Ford parts will correct the problem as they May have the same net result.
Consumer discovered that the right rear seat belt would not retract, the dealer informed consumer that a new seat belt would need to be ordered, when consumer arrived home it was discovered that the seat belt still did not work, vehicle was taken back to dealer in which the seat belt was fixed the same day, consumer is questioning how the correction was made without ordering another seatbelt in which the first seat took two days to arrive.
Seat belt anchor is installed incorrectly. The only way the restraints can be latched is if twisted the restraint across to the buckle. Owner has contacted the manufacturer, and is waiting for a representative to inspect the vehicle. The steering becomes hard when brakes are applied. The consumer states that the vehicle was prepped, inspected and sold to him with defective seat belt in total disregard for his safety.
Seat Belt complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1997 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the seat belts of the 1997 Ford Taurus, 3% of the model year's 770 complaints. The component named most often is front › anchorage (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Taurus seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1997 Ford Taurus, though it has 3 recalls for other components. 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 1997 Ford Taurus seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries and 1 death 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.