38 complaints reported

1997 Toyota Corolla Seat Belts

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
38
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2015

MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND GOT IT FIXED ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO. I PAID OVER 300.00 FOR A MECHANIC SHOP TO COMPLETELY REPLACE MY SEAT BELT. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN TO THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT. I REALLY DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS SEAT BELT THING FIXED EVERY TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF FAULTY/DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2015
Aug 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO UNLATCH THE SEAT BELT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT RELEASE. SHE HAD TO USE A SCREWDRIVER TO OPEN THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE RELEASE BUTTON BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2008
Dec 2006

FRONT SEAT BELTS LOCK AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO PULL OUT THE SEAT BELT IT FINALLY LOCKS. HAD SEAT BELT REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND KEEPS REPEATING. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AFTER READING THE NUMEROUS LOGS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2006
Jul 2006

SAFETY BELTS IN TOYOTA COROLLA LOCK SO WE ARE UNABLE TO USE THEM. TOYOTA SAYS SINCE THE CAR IS A 97 AND OUT OF WARRANTY IT IS NOT TOYOTA'S RESPONSIBILITY. WRONG IT IS A DEFECT THAT WE REPLACED ALREADY ONCE. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2006
Feb 2006

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR LOCKS PREVENTING USE OF SEAT BELT. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2005
Aug 2005

MY SEAT BELTS IN MY TOYOTA COROLLA HAS AN DEFECT, DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS HUNG AND I CANT GET IT ON I HAVE TO PULL HARD JUST TO GET IT ON, AND IT GET HUNG AGAIN, PASSENGER BELT IN THE REAR IS ALL THE WAY OUT AND WANT RETRACT, I HAVE 3 KIDS UNDER THE AGE 6 AND ITS A BIG CONCERN FOR ME. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2003
May 2005

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT AND THE REAR SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT. THE DEALER WILL REPAIR AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2004
Jul 2004

THE DRIVER SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING RELEASED. *JB WHEN THE BELT DID WORK, IT WOULD LOCK TIGHT AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ONE TO LEAN FORWARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. *SC *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2004
Mar 2004 Injury

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER OFTEN, MUST PULL REPEATEDLY TO GET UNIT TO RELEASE. ONCE YOU GET THE SEAT BELT ON IT LOCKS OFTEN MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO TURN TO SEE REAR TRAFFIC. ?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2004
Feb 2004

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT DISENGAGE FROM RETRACTOR. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE IN THIS (AND MOST) STATE(S) WITHOUT WEARING A SEAT BELT. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE HAVE BEEN REPORTED. I BELIEVE TOYOTA OWES IT TO THE CONSUMER TO REPAIR THIS UNSAFE AND ILLEGAL PROBLEM MANY DRIVER'S ARE EXPERIENCING WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2004
Mar 2003

SEAT BELT RETRACTORS STICKS CONSTANTLY. *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2003
Apr 2002

DRIVER SEAT BELT WON'T COME OUT HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE MOVING AND APPLY BRAKE TO GET IT TO WORK. AM CURRENTLY TRING TO GET DEALER TO FIX. ALSO SEEMS TO LOCK WHEN DRIVING, BUT RELEASE WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. SECOND PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN BRAKING SUDEENLY. SOMETHING HIT TRANSMISSION CONTROL, PUTTING VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE WITHOUT DEPRESSING SAFETY BUTTON BUT DID. (POSSIBLY WAS HIT BY SOMETHING IN CAR?) DT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2002
Oct 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STICKS INTERMITTENTLY; AFTER SEVERAL PULLS ON BELT, SEAT BELT FINALLY GETS BUCKLED; ALWAYS, WHEN UNBUCKLING SEAT BELT, IT DOES NOT RETRACT FULLY INTO HOLDER. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Sep 2001

WHILE TRYING TO PUT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTON IT WOULD NOT PULL FROM RETRACTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Mar 2001

WITH ALL THE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THIS ITEM SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL AS IT IS LAW TO DRIVE WITH A SEATBELT ON. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2001
Mar 2001

REAR LAP BELT BUCKLE CAME APART. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THE REAR CENTER LAP BELT THAT HOLDS CHILD'S SAFETY SEAT FAILED. *YH

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2001
Dec 2000

INTERMITTENTLY DRIVER'S AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT FROM RETRACTORS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2000
Sep 2000

DRIVERS SEAT BELT GETS LOCKED EASILY. UNABLE TO PULL SEAT BELT OUT TO APPLY AT TIMES. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE SEAT BELT WILL LOCK AND RESTRICT MOVEMENT. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN SEAT BELT LOCK AND WHEN IT WORKS. WHEN I BRING IT INTO A DEALER IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO WORK FINE AT THE TIME SO NO REPAIRS ARE MADE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE ADDRESS AS IT IS A LIABILITY ISSUE.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Feb 2000

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER OFTEN, MUST PULL REPEATEDLY TO GET UNIT TO RELEASE. ONCE YOU GET THE SEAT BELT ON IT LOCKS OFTEN MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO TURN TO SEE REAR TRAFFIC. I HAVE BARELY AVOIDED ACCIDENTS 3 TIMES DUE TO THIS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE BELT WILL LOCK. MY LIFE IS IN DANGER DRIVING THIS CAR, TOYOTA SAYS THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE AND I DON'T NEED TO TURN MY BODY IN ORDER TO SEE REAR TRAFFIC. SHELOR SAYS THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. COME DRIVE THIS CAR AND YOU WILL SEE INSTANTLY. WHO CAN SOLVE THIS BEFORE I AM KILLED? *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 1999
Feb 2000

I DO NOT FEEL THAT WHEN OR IF AN ACCIDENT EVER OCCURS TO THIS VEHICLE THAT THE SEAT BELTS WILL OPERATE CORRECTLY. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AND/OR REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND STILL THEY DO NOT RECOIL PROPERLY. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE EVERYDAY AND I'VE TRIED TO RETURN THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WILL NOT BE FAIR AND ARE TRYING TO FORCE ME TO PAY SEVERE PENALTIES. I'M NOT IN A FAVORIBLE POSITION IN THE LEASE. HOWEVER THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY BEARING ON THIS SEAT BELT SAFETY ISSUES THAT I'M SEEMINGLY FORCED TO LIVE (OR DIE) WITH.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2000
Feb 2000

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU LOOK INTO A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SEAT BELT ISSUE. YOU HAVE MORE COMPLAINTS ON THE 1997 TOYOTA FOR SEAT BELTS FAILING TO RETRACT THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THE FACTORY OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THERE IS A PROBELM, HAVE ADMITTED THEY HAVE A PROBLEM IN MY CAR, YET ARE PLAYING THE ODDS BY FORCING ME TO WAIT A YEAR TO GET MY CASE TO COURT. I FORTUNATELY CAN, BUT WHAT ABOUT FAMILIES THAT CANNOT. IN MY CASE THEY CAN'T EVEN GUARANTEE THEY HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM, YET WANT A FIFTH, AND MOST LIKELY SIXTH TIME TO FIX IT. MY GOAL NOW IS TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS PROBELM, GET MY MONEY BACK AND FORCE A RECALL. PLEASE AT LEAST LOOK INTO THE SITUATION. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 1997
Jan 2000

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED COME OUT OF RETRACTOR. DRIVER LIFTED WITHOUT RETRAINTS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1998
Dec 1999

SEATBELT LOCKS UP WHEN TRYING TO PUT ON. TAKES SEVERAL MINUTES OF TRYING TO PULL SEAT BELT BEFORE IT WILL LOOSEN ENOUGH TO BE USED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1999
Dec 1999

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED AND REPLACED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *MJS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1998
Nov 1999

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT ALL THE WAY, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT CONNECT WITH BUCKLE, MEANING NOT LOCKING UP. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Toyota Corolla has 38 Seat Belts complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.