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.
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 milesEast 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 milesAudubon, 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 milesKalamazoo, 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, NCCrash2 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, INCrash
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.