Redman06

As some folks have already posted out there, the shoulder straps on our stangs come over our collarbones close to or even against our neck if you are about 5' 9" or shorter...and this could be DANGEROUS in an accident. BUT...I got the seat-belt extender like some have mentioned, and after attaching it, I took it BACK! Although it moves the shoulder strap to a better position on my body, the attachment point of the extender is now against my STOMACH, which is EXTREMELY dangerous in an accident. If you read the back of the seat belt extender, it is NOT for use when the seatbelt extender attachment point is against the body, and can cause severe (internal) injuries if you are in an accident. So for those who installed this extender (which is typically for larger bodies so the seatbelt can be extended further around the torso), please beware of the consequenses of this mod!

SO....what does this mean? Well, we need to start asking Ford what they are going to do about this issue. The average height of a male in the US is about 5' 9", and a female is about 5' 4", so the positioning of the seatbelt in our stangs is totally unacceptable, and can be remedied with something similar to earlier stangs with a belt loop on the seat (which may not be possible with side airbags) or a modified upper mount on the B pillar to change where the shoulder belt is attached to the car. If enough folks complain (or are severely injured in an accident due to the positioning of the belt) I am sure that Ford will have to do something....

Thoughts??


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Dan
06 Redfire GT

Menace

Have you attached the seat belt to the loop on the side of your seat, by the handle? If not, try that and see how the positioning is? I'm not sure if it'll change, but I'm 6' and have no real issue with the belt... Except for it not wanting to unlock sometimes. (Thus I have to unhook it, and rehook it.)

hawgman

So I am just wondering... what cars have you had in the past that you were happy with the seat belt and what made them different?

Wicked Pony

I had a '96 Grand Prix and the set belt mechanism was on the door. It was alot easier to get into the back seat.
I wish they made coupes like that still. i guess it was a safety issue

Menace

I wouldn't want the seatbelt anywhere then where it is... Hehe, get a harness?

Redman06

Yes, I used the loop on both the driver and passenger seats - no effect on the shoulder strap positioning.

My Passat, F150 and my wife's Jeep all have shoulder straps that run to the outside of my collar bone (when connected). Seems that if my mustang had a height-adjustable mechanism at the top of the shoulder strap - like our other cars - then it would be fine. I'm not sure why Ford didn't add this to the Mustang? All other cars Ford produces seem to have seat-belt height-adjustable mechanisms.

Menace - It seems that the belt would be perfect for your 6' frame. If I use the power seat to raise the driver's seat up a few inches, the belt sits properly...but then my thighs are WAY too high up for the angle of the dash, and my legs are now uncomfortable.

And for folks that are shorter than I, the positioning really has to be a pain.

Menace

Hehe, I still say find some H-Harness belts and throw them in. I don't think I would mind putting on the belt every time I drove it. The car already sounds like a Race car, might as well feel like one too.