# 2003 FORD EXPLORER — EQUIPMENT
> NHTSA complaint `424062` · 2003-08-10 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPLORER
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** EQUIPMENT
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
RE:  SECOND (MID-SECTION) SEAT - DRIVER'S SIDE  1.  SEAT BELT BECAME LODGED BEHIND SEAT RELEASE CAUSING BACK OF SEAT TO JERK FORWARD AND STRIKE MY CHILD IN BACK OF NECK.  2.  FACTS:  A)  WHEN MY DAUGHTER (12 YEARS; 89 LBS.) LEANED FORWARD IN HER SEAT, PRESSURE WAS PLACED ON SEAT BELT CAUSING RELEASE TO ENGAGE AND JERK FORWARD;   B) MY DAUGHTER WAS STILL IN  SEAT BELT WHEN I PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD TO CHECK ON HER; C) I WAS REPEATEDLY UNABLE TO GET THE BACK OF HER SEAT TO "LOCK IN" PLACE;  D)  UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND SEAT BELT TO BE LODGED SECURELY BEHIND SEAT RELEASE AND EACH TIME MY DAUGHTER MOVED FORWARD AND PLACED PRESSURE ON SEAT BELT, THE RELEASE WAS ENGAGED;  E)  THIS INCIDENT WASN'T THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT; E) BRAKES WEREN'T BEING USED AT TIME; F)  SHE WAS SEEN IN EMERGENCY ROOM DUE TO PAIN IN HER NECK. BACK AND HEAD; SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CERVICAL STRAIN AND HAD TO WEAR A NECK COLLAR FOR FIVE DAYS.  3.  CONTRIBUTING REASONS FOR OCCURRENCE: A)  SEAT BELT IS SECURED TO SIDE OF  VEHICLE; B) WHEN A PERSON GETS INTO THIRD ROW SEAT, IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT ON THE SEAT BELT CAUSING IT TO HANG BEHIND SEAT RELEASE; (C)  IF SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY, IT CATCHES BEHIND SEAT RELEASE; D) IT CAN ALSO CATCH ON FRONT OF RELEASE.  4.  ADDITIONAL CONCERNS: A) SECOND SEAT RELEASE IS A TWO STEP RELEASE: IF THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE THE BRAKES HAD TO BE APPLIED QUICKLY AND FIRMLY, SECOND PART OF  RELEASE COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY ENGAGED CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO 
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*