Defective second row seat seatbelt configuration.

[GWA1]

Obviously I meant the 2012 Ford Explorer Limited (without bucket seats)... I am not trying to make the back seat wider; just need the buckles moved (safely) so someone can sit in between them in the middle seat! The dealers won't do it without direction from Ford Motor Company obviously. Where are all the other people who want to put three in the back seat of this car???? Can I be the only person shocked to find out about this defective seatbelt configuration? I will not let this matter rest until I get some action! Hopefully it will get some attention from other 2012 Ford Explorer Limited owners in the 2011 + Ford Explorer forum. Thanks for transferring it there!

Sorry to say but you might be since it's been two weeks since you started this thread and no one has stepped forward. Maybe the move to this forum will help. Suggest you PM Cory.

 

[tncruiser]

i believe this thread to be a "troll"
7 posts all about the seats which are the configuration on all 7 passenger vehicles
i would bet no "x" in this guys garage and since i am not with Ford if you dont like it trade it in take your losses and go back to some foreign brand and sip on your latte'
I LIKE MY EXPLORER. i have had new caddy's, lincoln's, fords, and chryslers my 2012 x is right up there for fit,finish and styling
brianj

 

[boss377]

OK, you "skinny" wise-*****. This is not simply a matter of slight discomfort. I challenge anyone out there who is interested to walk into a dealer who has a 2010 Ford Explorer Limited on the lot, sit in the middle seat, buckle all three seat buckles, and tell me you don't have a buckle sticking in each butt cheek! NO WAY to put your back against the seat and VERY uncomfortable to drive any distance like that! Definitely a defective design that needs to be fixed. Of course, I know that I could contact a lawyer but I was seeking someone's suggestion for how I might find out reach out to other 2012 Ford Explorer Limited owners to get some group support for this complaint so that I am not a lone ranger complaining about this! Would love to see if I can get some action before having to go to the trouble and expense of a lawsuit! Any ideas anyone?

Why didn't you try out the back seat before buying it? Maybe you should have bought an Odyssey. I think your next step is to use all caps in your posts.

 

[tmilicia]

I regularly carry 2 adults and a car seat in the second row of my 2011 Explorer Limited with no issues. Is this just an issue with the inflatable seatbelts? I didn't order that option on my Explorer, it wasn't something that interested me.

 

[wheeling]

Come on, people, this guy needs some help here.

He is claiming that the second row benchseat with the outbound inflatable seat belts has a problem for the middle person to seat comfortably. Because the new seat belts, the buckles may be too big and protruding out too much, making it comfortable. I truely believe he really has a problem with this.

If you have this configuration, test it and post the results. If you don't have the inflatable seat belts, don't treat others as fools.

 

[Lhymes]

This thread has to be a joke.

 

[dutchman71]

I agree, the back seat seat buckle receiver configuration leaves a lot to be desired. Very, very poor design if you ask me.

But as many have said here, should have bought something else.

I'm glad you started a thread pointing out this problem, maybe they will change it in newer models. Nothing will be done by Ford to correct the problem on current models unfortunately.

 

[1995E]

OK, you "skinny" wise-*****. This is not simply a matter of slight discomfort. I challenge anyone out there who is interested to walk into a dealer who has a 2010 Ford Explorer Limited on the lot, sit in the middle seat, buckle all three seat buckles, and tell me you don't have a buckle sticking in each butt cheek! NO WAY to put your back against the seat and VERY uncomfortable to drive any distance like that! Definitely a defective design that needs to be fixed. Of course, I know that I could contact a lawyer but I was seeking someone's suggestion for how I might find out reach out to other 2012 Ford Explorer Limited owners to get some group support for this complaint so that I am not a lone ranger complaining about this! Would love to see if I can get some action before having to go to the trouble and expense of a lawsuit! Any ideas anyone?

Wait, why are you the one complaining if you are the one driving the vehicle? You can always work it out. Have the smallest passenger sit in the middle. If you have a lot of adult passengers, one of those adults needs to get their own car. It's an SUV, not a bus.


I do agree the interior of recent cars have been uncomfortable due to larger headrests, different seat designs, etc for safety. Still, it's what Ford has to do. There's always a work around, find a shop to make a special seat or something. Hope you find a solution. However, you have no argument in my view.

Also, you can take your argument to MotorTrend. They will be your best friend.

 

[mdc160]

i noticed what the person is saying about the 2nd row. I sat in it when i looking at it in the show room and i was sitting in one without the airbag seat belts. Ur ass in the middle is sitting on top of the seat belt which does feel uncomfortable. This did not bother me in purchasing the X bc I am gonna be in the driver or passenger seat all the time. My kid usually sits on passenger side so she is ok. I dont usually travel with too many kids so I didnt care.

Sorry I feel your pain. As most of us on the thread we usually dont sit in the back to realize or hinder us purchasing this suv bc it is not our ass suffering. I doubt Ford will fix this as this is probably a "characteristic of the vehichle". Your have three options, 1) get rid of the X, 2) get an upholestry person to fix it, 3) live with it and keep the X. Try PM'ing Cory he is very good in response and at least you could say you tried.

 

[hosedagain]

i noticed what the person is saying about the 2nd row. I sat in it when i looking at it in the show room and i was sitting in one without the airbag seat belts. Ur ass in the middle is sitting on top of the seat belt which does feel uncomfortable. This did not bother me in purchasing the X bc I am gonna be in the driver or passenger seat all the time. My kid usually sits on passenger side so she is ok. I dont usually travel with too many kids so I didnt care.

Sorry I feel your pain. As most of us on the thread we usually dont sit in the back to realize or hinder us purchasing this suv bc it is not our ass suffering. I doubt Ford will fix this as this is probably a "characteristic of the vehichle". Your have three options, 1) get rid of the X, 2) get an upholestry person to fix it, 3) live with it and keep the X. Try PM'ing Cory he is very good in response and at least you could say you tried.

I have a 2010 Edge (5 passenger) and just had a look at the rear seat. The person sitting in the middle would need to have a very narrow butt. If not the center person will be sitting on the sides, left and right of the seat belt of the 2 other rear passengers. Even though 3 can sit back there doesn't mean it will be comfortable for the center passenger. So I feel for the poster's concerns. I don't think there is a SUV or CUV that will be any different unless its a HUGE SUV like the Expedition. I never thought when I bought our Edge about how comfortable it would be for 3 passengers. My wife and I sat back there one at a time and found the seats comfortable. As it is only me and the Mrs. never thought about it like I believe most will have done. But this thread is a heads up to anyone who have to haul more than 4 adult passengers. Only a van would do...

 

[FordService]

...I have someone from Ford Motor Co. looking into my complaint now, but I can't believe that others aren't already complaining about it more! Really turns this 7 seater into a 6 seater, which is not what I need...

shermtime,

I’m not sure if there’s anything I can do to help, but you can send me your info via PM. Please include your contact information, approximate mileage, dealer name/state, and VIN.

...Maybe try working with either Cory or Rebecca from Ford customer service that frequent this forum, but I'll bet you're not going to get far...

Sorry to say but you might be since it's been two weeks since you started this thread and no one has stepped forward. Maybe the move to this forum will help. Suggest you PM Cory.

...Try PM'ing Cory he is very good in response and at least you could say you tried.

JDraper, GWA1, & mdc160,

Thanks for the shout-out.

Cory

 

[shermtime]

Thank you to those who tried to help me! And to the others...

Wanted to put closure on this issue (and hopefully help those who find themselves in this situation -- i.e. needing to seat three in the back seat of this vehicle and either stuck with the erroneous inflatable seatbelt configuration or having the option, as I did not, to get one without the inflatable seat belts). (In any event, I did try the one on the lot that did not have inflatable seat belts before purchasing and this was not a problem.) This is what I finally figured out could be done to solve the problem: I added a seatbelt extender to the middle (non-inflatable) seatbelt and made the male receptacle flexible. (It had been stuck in a rigid position previously for some reason -- perhaps by a different Ford dealer who took the seats apart when they were fixing one of the inflatable seat belt buckles which broke right after I got the car.) Now, while tight, a child (still not an adult!) can squeeze between the two buckles and need not sit on the buckle. Still absurdly ridiculous for all three people in the backseat to have to buckle in together (as the seat belts are erroneously crossed for sure!) but it's workable. That's the end of my saga. This is really not a car meant for three people -- even three children -- to sit in the back seat. But I have made it feasible, as can anyone else who finds themselves in the same predicament. By the way, my previous car, a Volvo XC70 (a crossover) seemed much smaller than this car but there was no such seatbelt problem in the back seat and everyone was comfortable. Like this car better though! Thanks to all on this thread who actually tried to help me come up with a solution. To those few nasty uninformed folks on this thread, who had no idea what they were talking about because they never tried to sit 2 adults and a child (or 3 children) in the backseat of this vehicle (!) and obviously had nothing better to do with their time, hope you get a life or :mattmoon:find some other outlet for your anger! :mattmoon:

 

[Border_Explorer]

Not sure why this person cannot fit 5 passengers in an Explorer, if they are coming from a XC70 they could only cart around 5 people... Is there a reason this person does not use the 3rd row seats and not stuff 3 people in the 2nd row? Maybe this person should be looking at a van if they cannot figure out how to fit in an Explorer.

 

[Car 54]

I think I have to cross the seatbelts to get everyone in. In other words, the side seatbelt has to overlap the middle seat seatbelt.

 

[Border_Explorer]

Yeah I see what you are saying. I just checked my 2012 with the airbag belts and the middle seatbelt has to cross. I also tried it out, sitting in the middle seat with all the belts buckled. It was not bad but I see Shermtime's point. It was not unbearable but a simple adjustment to the way you sit makes it more comfortable. I don't see a child having any problem sitting in that seat. I would not consider it defective but not the greatest design. It is probably due to adding the airbag belt after the seats were designed. Regardless, the Explorer will seat 5 passengers very comfortably provided the 3rd row seats are used. I don't think the rear seat is designed for having 3 passengers on a regular basis. Not to mention weather its the explorer or some other car I would not want my child riding in the middle anyway as there is mininmal air bag protection in any car for that seat. I would assume most if not all folks would use the 3rd row seats if they had 5 passengers. If storage is an issue with the 3rd row in use then this car is not big enough if you have those passenger requirements. Coming from a Volvo the 3rd row should be used and the car is more then big enough.

 

[Car 54]

What do the airbags do for the third row occupants?

 

[chimoman]

Ummmmmm, my kids all fit in the back no problem. I cart the kids and friends to hockey all over the place. Nobody has ever complained. I even asked them today if it was a problem. Nope. Love the ride they said. This truck is awesome they said. They love playing their music in it as the base is amazing. I am constantly having to turn it down and it's not even half way. LOL. This vehicle is amazing. Love it. Cheers.

 

[VinceL]

Border, are you talking about the side curtain airbag?

 

[Kevlar7R]

Caveat Emptor....(Look it up)

Dude, no one to blame but yourself. No one and no company in this world owes you anything. You had every chance to evaluate it before you bought it. If you don't like it, sell it.

Quit expecting the "system" to provide for you. The soviets already tried that, didn't work out so well.

The only one responsible for you owning a vehicle that doesn't fit your needs is..... YOU!!!!!!

 

[cnsheets]

I have 6 kids ranging from 9yr old twins to 18yrs old. The twins are bigger than my 11yr old and weigh 130 lbs each easy. We have no problem with seating constraints.