11 of the 574 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet S10 are about the seat belts — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 80,000 miles.
11
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER-SIDE SEATBELT BECOMES UNLATCHED FROM THE RECEIVER AT RANDOM TIMES DURING DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW DOZEN TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #10086697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS WHEN HIS HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10065273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR. I HAVE INSPECTED THIS VEHICLE, WHICH WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER INCIDENT, AND FOUND THE SAME "ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP" AS WAS RECALLED IN NHTSA RECALL #03V117000. THE DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE WAS A 29 YEAR OLD GENTLEMAN, 6 FOOT TALL AND 200 POUNDS. HE WAS FULLY EJECTED AND FATALLY INJURED. THE SURVIVAL SPACE SURROUNDING THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD REMAINED INTACT, AND LIKELY THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE NOT SUSTAINED A CATASTROPHIC INJURY BUT FOR THE 10" OF EXTRA SLACK ADDED TO THE SAFETY BELT SYSTEM DURING THE ROLLOVER.
NHTSA complaint #10050993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
ORIGINAL AND 3 ADDITIONAL IGNITION COILS, CAPS, AND HARNESSES CORRODED IN A 4 YR TIME SPAN. ORIGINAL AND TWO REPLACEMENT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MOST RECENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS SO BADLY MELTED, TWISTED & DAMAGED THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I WAS "LUCKY" NOT TO HAVE THE ENTIRE ENGINE BLOWN. ALSO, HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING THIS BADLY DAMAGED IN HIS 25 YRS OF SERVICING MANY MAKES OF VEHICLES. THIS IS A 4 YR OLD VEHICLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE A TREND IS ESTABLISHED FOR REPLACING THESE SAME PARTS APPX. EVERY 17-20,000 MILES AND 10 MONTHS APART - JUST LONG ENOUGH THAT GM WILL NOT HONOR THE PARTS WARRANTIES. I DO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE LONG DISTANCES (300 MILES ONE WAY EACH WEEK TO A WORKSITE) BUT ALSO MAINTAIN IT TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECS. I THOUGHT I BOUGHT A RELIABLE VEHICLE, BUT THE DEPENDABILITY IS QUESTIONED WHEN THE VEHICLE LOSES MOMENTUM AND STALLS ON HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY POPS ON, & I'M PAYING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR TOWING & REPLACEMENT PARTS TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM GM WILL NOT ADMIT TO HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. GM HAS NOT ACKNOWLEGED THIS PROBLEM OR RESOLVED IT IN ANY WAY. A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP STATED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" MAINTENANCE TO REPLACE THESE PARTS, AS WELL AS THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY SPARK PLUGS (AT 73,000) WHICH WERE CORRODED DUE TO THE CORRODED IGNITION COILS. ADDITIONAL INFO AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ALL INVOICES IF NECESSARY.
NHTSA complaint #750935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER WAS DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH AND INTO A DITCH, AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD HE DIDN'T HIT HARD ENOUGH OR AT THE RIGHT ANGLE, DURING FRONT END COLLISION THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE PASSENGER SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED AND CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO BE THROWN THOURGHOUT THE VEHICLE CAUSING 3 HERNIATED DISC. NLM
NHTSA complaint #555710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE PRETENSIONER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT TIGHTENS UP AND DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO.I GAVE UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP.
NHTSA complaint #734977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION\. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND RESTRAINTS DID NOT RETRACT, RESULTING IN MAJOR INJURIES. RIGHT AIRBAG SENSOR WAS SHATTERED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK THE DRIVER'S NOSE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE SEAT DURING THE ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #873334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT GAVE WAY, ALLOWING THE BUCKLE END OF THE SEATBELT TO COME OUT ABOUT ANOTHER FOOT, WHICH THREW THE DRIVER FROM THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #853159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
HORN CONTACT AND/ OR CANCELLING CAM WAS REPLACED TWICE. WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL CERTAIN PLACES HAVE A DEAD SPOT. ALSO, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE, IT ROCKS. WHEN PULLING SEAT BELT ACROSS CONSUMER, AND LEANING FORWARD TO ADJUST THE RADIO, SEAT BELT LOCKS UP. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD VEHICLE JUST DIES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BATTERY. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED, AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #848343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT PROTECTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #608537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT DESIGN FLAW, TOO SHORT AND DIFFICULT TO FASTEN.
NHTSA complaint #534863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.