2005 Toyota Camry Seat Belts

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES DO NOT RETRACT CORRECTLY/AT ALL NOR DOES IT PROVIDE TENSION FOR SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE DRIVER/PASSENGER ARE BUCKLED IN. AS MANUFACTURERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE PROPER OPERATION OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE VEHICLES PRODUCED OPERATE CORRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY, IT WOULD ONLY SEEM LOGICAL THAT THERE WOULD BE A PERIOD THAT WARRANTY OF SUCH SAFETY EQUIPMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED. THERE IS A REQUIREMENT FOR RUST THRU WARRANTY ON THE BODY FOR 10-YEARS, WHY IS THERE NOT A SIMILAR REQUIREMENT TO KEEP US SAFE AND FIND RECOURSE TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES THAT I AM REPORTING. WHY DOES IT REQUIRE A DEATH OR SEVERAL TO FORCE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY INTO ACTION??? *TR

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT RENDERING IT TOTALLY USELESS. IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT/STATES MANDATE SEAT BELTS THEN IT SHOULD MANDATE THAT DEALERSHIPS REPLACE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS. IT AMAZES ME THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT FORCED THE CAR COMPANIES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBEALT DOES NOT FUNCTION, RESTRAIN, OR RETRACT!! THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT DEFECT. IT HAS NEVER RETRACTED PROPERLY IN THE DOOR. MOST OF IF ENDS UP SHUT IN THE DOOR BECAUSE IT HANGS OUT SO FAR! NOW IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS STUCK HALFWAY OUT AND DOES NOT REACH THE FASTENER. IT WILL NOT BUDGE. CONSEQUENTLY, I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE TO WORK WITHOUT A SEATBELT. IT IS USELESS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE LETTING ANYONE ELSE DRIVE IT. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA CORPORATION THAT I WILL BE CHARGED $97 JUST FOR A DEALER TO LOOK AT IT ("DIAGNOSE IT") AND THEN UP TO $200-300 TO REPAIR IT. THE TWO PEOPLE I SPOKE WITH FROM THE TOYOTA CORPORATION TRIED TO WASH THEIR HANDS OF THE ISSUE BY SAYING, "IT IS THE DEALERSHIPS' RESPONSIBILITY. WE CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE ARE JUST THE NAME. " HOWEVER, AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A HIGHLY PROLIFIC PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 CAMRY BY THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THROUGH CAR SAFETY FORUMS (AND ON THIS SITE). DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED OR INJURED BEFORE TOYOTA CORPORATION ACKNOWLEDGES IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS A DEFECT- AND THAT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED? *TT

WE HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. WE PURCHASED IT THIS YEAR. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES THAT WHEN THE DRIVER EXITS THE CAR AND THE SEAT BELT STARTS TO RETRACT IT TWISTS AND GET STUCK IN THE GUIDE. MY WIFE IS UNABLE TO GET IT UNTWISTED AND HAS TO DRIVE IT WITH THE BELT LOOSE AND USELESS. WHEN SHE GETS HOME I HAVE TO USE SOME SORT OF TOOL TO GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT IN THE GUIDE AND GET IT TO RETRACT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AND UNSAFE CONDITION AND I FEEL A CAUSE FOR A RECALL AS I HAVE READ ON LINE OF SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MANY YEAR IN MANY MODELS WITH OUT EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. I HAS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. OTHER WISE IT'S A NICE CAR. I HOPE YOU ARE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THANKS. *LN

2005 TOYOTA CAMRY - SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT ON MY CAMRY WOULD OCCASIONALLY PARTIALLY FOLD OVER AT THE RETRACTOR GUIDE ON THE DOOR POST. AT 75,000 MILES, THIS NOW HAPPENS ABOUT 1/3 TO1/2 OF THE TIME AND I AM STARTING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE BELT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STRAIGHTEN BECAUSE THE GAP IS TOO NARROW TO USE A WOODEN TOOL AND A METAL TOOL SUCH AS A SCREWDRIVER WOULD CUT THE BELT. I HAVE RECENTLY FOUND THAT I CAN LOWER THE MOVABLE ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE LOWEST LEVEL, FULLY EXTEND AND HOLD THE BELT AND THEN MOVE THE ATTACHMENT POINT TO ITS HIGHEST LEVEL. SO FAR, THIS HAS GENERALLY REMOVED THE FOLD. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT FOR ME AND IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY WIFE WHO HAS ARTHRITIS. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE ( HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2005/TOYOTA/CAMRY/SEAT+BELT) AND SEE THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE CAMRY. SEVERAL WEB SITES ARE NOW SELLING AFTER MARKET NEW AND USED REPLACEMENT BELTS WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLATION. I AM CONCERNED THAT THESE BELTS WOULD NOT FUNCTION TO AUTOMATICALLY TIGHTEN IN AN COLLUSION. ACCORDING TO ON LINE REPORTS, DEALER REPLACEMENT OF THE BELTS IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. *TR

PROBLEM WITH 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY PASSENGER SEAT BELT. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT GETS "STUCK" WHEN TRYING TO LOCK BELT INTO LATCH. THIS RESULTS IN THE BELT EITHER NOT PROPERLY RETRACTING OR NOT ABLE TO EXTEND. THIS HAPPENS IN ABOUT 1 OUT OF EVERY 4 USES. *TR

SEAT BELTS DOUBLE UP AND JAM IN RETRACTION GUIDES WHEN RETRIEVING AND CAN NOT BE UNJAMMED WITHOUT SOME SORT OF TOOL. COMPLAINT OF PROBLEM TO TOYOTA DEALER WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW SEATBELTS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE ASKED TO MEET WITH FACTORY REP.-I HAVE HEARD NOTHING AND AM HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS EACH DAY. CAN YOU HELP ME? *TR

THE SEATBELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY 2005 TOYOTA BECOMES TANGLED INSIDE THE MECHANISM THAT SERVES AS ITS HOUSING, SUCH THAT IT CANNOT BE RETRACTED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT IF THERE WERE A SUDDEN IMPACT. I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP OR A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE HOUSING TAKEN APART SO THAT IT CAN BE UNTWISTED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES, TWICE THIS WEEK. THE CAR HAS 44,200 MILES. *TR

1 THE SAFETY BELT FAILS TO RECOIL BACK AFTER USE, SO WHEN THE WIFE GETS INTO THE CAR THE BELT IS NOT USABLE FOR HER OR MYSELF FOR ANOTHER TRIP. 2 THE FAILURE OCCURS AT LEAST 10X A MONTH. THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE A FAULTY SEAT BELT THAT WOULDN'T SECURE THE USER IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. 3 WE ALWAYS TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOOK IT APART AND RECOILED THE SEAT BELT. HOWEVER IN A COUPLE OF DAYS ITS BROKEN AGAIN. ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. EVERY TIME WE TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR WE WERE NEVER GIVEN A REPAIR TICKET. WE WERE NEVER CHARGED FOR THE REPAIRS. HOWEVER THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COST US $365.00 FOR A NEW ONE. BECAUSE THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WE FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY TOYOTA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. DURING A REAR END CRASH, THE SEAT BELT IN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONSUMER'S WIFE STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUFFERED HEAD AND CHEST INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 22,345. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/17/09. *JB

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DEFECTIVE. WHEN HOOKED UP, THERE IS NO APPARENT "G" FORCE STOP WHEN YOU JERK ON THE BELT (I.E., SIMULATE AN EMERGENCY STOP). BELT JUST GIVES WAY WITH NO "G GRAB" AT ALL. SHOULD YOU PULL THE SEAT BELT OUT TOO FAR, IT STAYS OUT, WILL NOT RETRACT, AND THEREBY BECOMING TOTALLY USELESS, AND UNSAFE AS WELL AS MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO DRIVE (WITH NO FUNCTIONING SEAT BELT FOR THE DRIVER). TOYOTA DEALER (REPAIR) SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS IT IS DRIVER'S FAULT FOR "TWISTING THE SAFETY BELT AS IT RETRACTS." WRONG! WHEN SAFETY BELT IS FULLY EXTENDED, AND CAN NOT BE PULLED OUT ANY FURTHER, THERE IS A VISIBLE "TWIST" IN WEBBED BELT AS IT FEEDS OUT OF THE UNIT THAT RETRACTS THE BELT. IT APPEAR THAT THE FIRST 10 TO 15 INCHES OF THE SEAT BELT WILL COME OUT AND RETRACT BACK IN WITH NO PROBLEM. IT IS WHEN THE BELT IS PULLED OUT JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN 15 INCHES (SAY, FOR A LARGE PERSON GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT) IS WHEN IT JAMS UP. VERY DANGEROUS, AS IT MAKE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT PRACTICALLY UNUSABLE. SO FAR, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT HAS TO BE TAKE BACK TO THE DEALER, THIS HAPPENED TWICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS TIGHTEN AND GRAB THE OCCUPANT INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,030 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,630.

WE OWNED A 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY. MY HUSBAND WAS THE DRIVER AND WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN HE WAS CUT OFF WHILE ENTERING A STATE HIGHWAY IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT IN A BOOSTER SEAT WITH HIS SEAT BELT ON. DURING THE IMPACT, MY SON WAS UNRESTRAINED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT NEVER CAUGHT IN THE RETRACTING MECHANISM ALLOWING MY SON TO BE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT. MY SON HAD A MASSIVE HEAD TRAUMA AND WAS AIR-LIFTED TO JOHNS HOPKINS. HE WAS RELEASED THE NEXT MORNING WITH A SERIOUS CONCUSSION. THE OTHER PASSENGERS HAD VERY MINOR INJURIES.

1 - SEAT BELT - GETS STUCK , CAUSING IT TO BE INOPERABLE AND FLOPPY. THE PLASTIC GUIDE ALLOWS THE WEBBING BELT TO GET STUCK IN IT. 2 - I CANNOT BUY REPLACE THE BELT , AN IMPORTANT , COMMON , INEXPENSIVE ITEM , FROM ANYONE, BUT THE DEALER $200 + $100 LABOR. I CAN PURCHASE LAP BELT FOR $15, BUT THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. GOOD DESIGN FOR THE MANUFACTURER , CHEAP BECAUSE RIGHTWAS SAME AS LEFT , BUT POOR DESIGN FOR ME AS IT CASUSED BELT TO BE WORN AND GET STUCK . CAR WAS 2005, BUT HAS 65000 SO NO MORE WARRANTY . -MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE FOR ALL CAR MAKERS , EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR CERTAIN ITEMS THAT WEAR OUT OVER TIME , SAFETY ITEMS LIKE SEAT BELTS , THAT WEAR OUT OVER TIME , 36 MONTHS 3 YEARS , MOSTLY DUE TO POOR DESIGN . *AK

I WAS DRIVING AT 15 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, AND I REAR-ENDED IT. *NM