Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DT: 1997 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONSUMER HAS BEING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS JAMMING. THIS OCCURRED FOR 7 YEARS. T 2 OUT OF 4 SEAT BELTS WORK. THE 2 SEAT BELTS BACK SEAT WILL NOT WORK. *AK
THE CHILD SEAT BUCKLE FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER'S GRANDSON WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR SEAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *NM *SC *JB
BOTH REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO PULL OUT THE SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT BOTH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTS AFTER CLICKING THE SEAT BELT IN TO STAY CONNECTION. THE PASSENGER WOULD HOLD THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. THIS CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO TIGHTEN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT RECALLED FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ADJUSTED IT TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *NM *SC *JB
CONSUMER STATED BOTH SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT WOULD NOT LATCH.*JB
BOTH LEFT/RIGHT REAR SHOULDER BELTS FAILED TO EXTEND, ENABLING OWNER FROM USING DUE TO ROLLERS GETTING OFF CENTER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELTS WON'T WORK AND CAN ONLY SIT GRANDSON IN CENTER SEAT IN ORDER TO PUT RESTRAINT ON HIM. RIGHT SIDE REAR HASN'T WORKED IN OVER 1 1/2 YEARS. LEFT SIDE HASN'T WORKED RIGHT SINCE WE GOT THE CAR AND NOW DON'T WORK AT ALL. OUR GRANDSON LIVES WITH US, HE IS FOUR YEARS OLD AND IT IS THE LAW THAT HE IS TO BE IN A CAR SEAT AND RESTRAINED. THE CAR IS ONLY USED SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, HASN'T BEEN ABUSED. I FEEL THAT DEALER OR MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE, SINCE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR VERY LONG AND IS A SAFETY ITEM. *AK *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**765493
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT. *SLC
BOTH REAR SEATBELTS ARE INOPERABLE. THEY WILL NO LONGER PULL OUT, STOPPED WORKING IN A 3 DAY PERIOD. *AK
TOW BACK SEATBELTS LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES ARE JAMMED IN RETRACTOR, CONSUMER HAS KIDS, AND CAN'T RESTRAIN THEM.*AK
SEAT BELT.
ALL SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT TIMES. YH
BELT RETRACTORS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
REAR SEAT BELT FAILURE.MGM
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT FULLY RETRACT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO GET CAUGHT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING BRUISES.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .