FaultScore

1997 Saturn SL seat belt problems

25 of the 286 complaints about the 1997 Saturn SL are about the seat belts — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 66,500 miles.

C

25

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Retractor 10 40.0%
Anchorage 6 24.0%
Buckle Assembly 4 16.0%
Seat Belts 2 8.0%
Webbing 2 8.0%
Front 1 4.0%

Seat Belts across every Saturn SL year

1991 12 6.9%
1992 31 17.8%
1993 16 9.2%
1994 49 28.2%
1995 11 6.3%
1997 25 14.4%
1998 17 9.8%
1999 13 7.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 88,000 miles Naperville, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE FRONT SIDE PASSENGER SEAT/SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM WOULD NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE ON MY 1997 SATURN 4-DOOR SEDAN. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE RETRACTOR HAD "FROZEN" & I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OF THE '97 SATURN SEAT BELTS FOR RETRACTOR DOING THE SAME THING IN THE 2 DR COUPE MODEL; I WAS TOLD MY MODEL WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND RARELY DOES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT HAVE AN OCCUPANT. THE SEAT BELT WILL BE REPLACED AS WE NEED IT TO ENSURE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AS WELL AS COMPLY WITH THE IL STATE LAW.

NHTSA complaint #10154711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 54,000 miles East Troy, WI

SEAT BELTS

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FRONT SEAT BELT PROBLEM. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT EXTEND OUT FOR USE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST $900.00. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10117825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 79,000 miles Audubon, PA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS LOCKED.

NHTSA complaint #10057822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 23,000 miles Kalamazoo, MI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10049879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Remsen, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE PASSENGER SEATBELT ASSEMBLY BROKE, DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE ON 12/30/2001 MILEAGE 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #756252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pontiac, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

THE REAR SEAT BELTS(OUTBOARD) DO NOT FIT A SMALLER ADULT(5 FT) PROPERLY. THERE IS NO ABILITY TO ADJUST THEM.

NHTSA complaint #9003387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Coraopolis, PA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOWER RETRACTOR FROZE W/ SEAT BELT IN RETRACTED POSITION, RENDERING SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. RETRACTOR IS NOT IN A LOCATION SERVICABLE BY THE OWNER, AND IS CURRENTLY STUCK FAST FOR NO APPARANT REASON. COST OF REPAIR NOT YET KNOWN. CAR IS A VERY LOW MILAGE VEHICLE, FORMERLY OWNED BY AN ELDERLY MAN. CAR HAD 10,200 MILES ON IT IN SEPT. 2000 WHEN PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ESTATE. PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED ON 3/9/01 AFTER I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 9000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #742254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Escondido, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT DEPLOY. JAMS AND WILL NOT EXTEND.

NHTSA complaint #739843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yarmouth, ME

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATBELT STAYS RETRACTED. *AK SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND COMPLETELY AROUND PASSENGER.

NHTSA complaint #879103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westminster, MD

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO EXTEND, HAD TO BE REPLACED, P/N 21055604, FOR A TOTAL REPAIR COST OF $135.

NHTSA complaint #739470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Palm Beach, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

A DEFECTIVE LATCH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL TO LOCK IN PLACE, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEFECT BE REPAIRED BY DEALER. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC

NHTSA complaint #556145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cary, NC Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE SATURN WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR IN THE MERGE LANE WHILE PREPARING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO FUNCTION RESULTING IN DRIVER STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER FACE. LACERATIONS, STITCHES, BROKEN NOSE RESULTED. PASSENGER SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #725124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Wappingens Fall, NY

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER.

NHTSA complaint #857260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Selma, NC

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT LOCK UP, AND ALLOW OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. BACK SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. MECHANIC HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #857060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jackson, NJ

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

MY SEAT BELT LOCKS UP INTERMITTANTLY. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE IN BAD WEATHER. I THINK IT IS THE RETRACTOR SYSTEM, BUT I AM NOT SURE. I WILL CONTACT THE DEALER THIS WEEK. I HAVE SEARCHED THE NHTSA'S CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND 4 SIMILAR TO MINE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW, IF THIS IS SOMETHING SATURN SHOULD PAY FOR.

NHTSA complaint #718385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Orleans, LA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, AND WILL NOT COME OUT. AS A RESULT, DRIVER CANNOT WEAR A SEATBELT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #855575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hudson, NH

SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER. THIS OCCURED WHILE ON VACATION DEALER AT MY VACATION LOCATION CHARGED FOR REPAIR I FELT SHOUD HAVE BEEN DONE FREE.

NHTSA complaint #712658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Burbank, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR EXPERIENCING FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #606609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Center Lake, IN Crash

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BROKE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #846006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Blue Ridge, TX

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #845376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tarzana, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED.MGM

NHTSA complaint #606897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Honolulu, HI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED, NOT RELEASING PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #534043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Memphis, TN

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

SEAT BELT LOCK. BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #536410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manito, IL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT STUCK.

NHTSA complaint #533019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pasadena, MD

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELTS ARE DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE, THE LOCKS ARE NOT SECURE.

NHTSA complaint #804361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Saturn SL problems

← Full 1997 Saturn SL report