RoadVitals

1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Mar 16, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 164 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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.

Owner reports naming seat belt

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesFuel systemInterior & seats+4 more
Filed Mar 16, 2008

MY 97 CHEVY MONTE CARLO HAS HAD NO LOWER BRAKE LIGHTS FOR SOME TIME . I HAD MY CAR CHECKED BY AN AUTO ELECTRICIAN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SO SEVERE AND IT WOULD PROBABLY NEVER FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS ISSUE BEING IT MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MY SELF/FAMILY OR OTHERS. AS I DRIVE ON THE ROAD I NOTICE MANY AUTOS OF THE SAME YEAR AND TYPE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM SO I KNOW ITS NOT ONLY MY VEHICLE .I THOUGHT IT COULD OF BEEN THE FACTORY INSTALLED SECURITY SYSTEM SO I HAD IT UNINSTALLED TO COME TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT THE SECURITY SYSTEM AFTER ALL. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS ISSUE . THIS IS MY ONLY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION AS I AM DISABLED AND CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE . I HAVE PUT CONSTANT REPAIRS ON THIS CAR , FUEL INJ TANK, ETC. AGAIN PLEASE ADDRESS THIS URGENT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10221331
Incident
May 10, 2007
Seat belts
Filed Dec 9, 2002

WHEN THE CHILD IS PLACED IN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT AND HAS ON A COAT, THE HARNESS STRAPS ARE THE LAST ADJUSTMENT NOTCH AND THERE IS HARDLY ENOUGH ROOM TO PLACE THE CHILD'S ARMS THROUGH THE STRAPS. THE CHILD IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AS THE HARNESS IS VERY TIGHT. TS SCC

NHTSA ID
8023911
Incident
Dec 1, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Feb 15, 2000

I HAVE HAD THREE (3) SETS OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS INSTALLED DUE TO ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT SETS FAILURE TO RETRACT. THIS WAS DEMONSTRATED TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON ALL OCCASIONS AND SHE AGREED WITH THE FAILURES. THE SERVICE MANAGER NEVER (REPEAT) NEVER EXAMINED MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED NHTSA VIA ODI NUMBER 714613 AND THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (WHO ESTABLISHED MY FILE AS 990575015), NEITHER OF WHICH HAS SEEN FIT TO AGAIN, REPLACE MY CURRENT BELTS--WHICH ALSO FAILED TO RETRACT!! I AM BEING TOLD BY EACH PARTY THAT THE RESTRAINTS DO NOT/NOT PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD, AND AS SUCH, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THEM! I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE RESTRAINTS ARE NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. I DO NOT WISH TO WAIT UNTIL AN ACCIDENT TO FIND OUT THAT THEY FAIL TO SECURE EITHER THE DRIVER OR THE PASSENGER IN THEIR SEATS OR THE SEATS THEMSELVES IN THE VEHICLE! FURTHER, I HAVE ALREADY WITNESSED A FRIEND OF OURS (WHO WAS A PASSENGER AT THE TIME) FALL WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FAULTY BELTS DID NOT RETRACT AND RATHER BECAME CAUGHT ON HER PERSON AND CAUSED HER TO FALL! TO FURTHER THE PROBLEM IS THAT NEITHER THE MANAGER OF GUNN CHEVROLET OR THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER HAVE HAD THE CURTESY TO VERBALLY CONTACT ME ON MY CONCERNS THAT THERE REMAINS A CHANCE THAT THE FIRST THREE SETS OF BELTS WERE THEMSELVES FAULTY AND ANOTHER SET MAY SOLVE THIS CONTINUAL PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY VEHICLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND AT THE VERY LEAST WOULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE SOMETHING IN WRITING STATING THAT ALL PARTIES AGREE THAT THE RESTRAINTS ARE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND AS SUCH, I WILL JUST HAVE TO BE SATISFIED WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS FAULTY!!! I WOULD HONESTLY FEEL MUCH BETTER OFF IF THIS ISSUE WERE RESOLVED. I KNOW THAT I CAN NOT BE THE ONLY MONTE CARLO OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM! SINCERELY, ROGER K. LAUGHLIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
718808
Incident
May 7, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Nov 10, 1999

HAVE HAD THREE (3) SETS OF SEATBELTS INSTALLED ON BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE (FRONT). THE LATEST SET OF BLETS, LIKE THE OTHER, CONTINUES NOT, REPEAT NOT TO RETRACT. WE USE THE BLETS ALWAYS, BUT AGAIN, WHEN LOOSENED THEY WILL NOT RETRACT. I AM GOING TO THE FURTH SET OF BELTS THIS WEEK. ARE THE BELTS AT FAULT OR IS THEIR A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH PROHIBITS THE BELTS FROM RETRACTING. I AM ELEVATING THE PROBLEM TO GUNN CHEVROLET'S MANAGER'S THIS TIME AS I AM TIRED OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!!

NHTSA ID
714613
Incident
May 17, 1999
ElectricalEngineSeat belts
Filed Sep 16, 1999

I TOOK MY CAR TO BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET IN JANUARY (VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY) ABOUT SEVERAL CONCERNS I HAD. ONE CONCERN I POINTED OUT WAS THAT MY CAR "CRANKED" A LONG TIME TO START. I ALSO HAD THEM REPAIR MY DRIVER SEAT BELT, THAT WOULD NOT CONTRACT, HAD THEM CHECK MY BRAKES BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING LONGER TO STOP ON WET PAVEMENT AND THEY WERE SQUEAKING. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOTHING WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG WITH ANYTHING EXCEPT MY SEAT BELT. I ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A TICKING SOUND IN THE MORNING WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME SOME TICKING IS NORMAL ON A COLD START. ON 03-29-99 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN BECAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT KEPT FLASHING AND STAYING ON, THE IDLE WAS VERY ROUGH, CAR WAS MISSING TERRIBLY, SULFUR SMELL WAS PRESENT. BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET REPLACED THREE PLUGS AND WIRES. I TOOK MY CAR BACK ON 4-14-99 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS "RUNNING ROUGH" AGAIN. BOB MCDORMAN CHEVROLET REPLACED THE OTHER THREE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. ON JULY 26, 1999 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY @ APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. I LOST ALL POWER AND MY CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED CHEVY ON 07-27-99. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO A DEALER AND THEY "MAY" ASSIST WITH REIMBURSEMENT BUT COULD NOT GUARANTEE IT. I CALLED SEVERAL CHEVROLET DEALERS BUT COULD NOT GET MY CAR IN FOR A WEEK. BOB MCDORMAN WAS CALLED AND I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER (STEVE ALEXANDER). HE TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDNOT GO BACK ON THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THIS WAS A NEW PROBLEM. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH ALL ALONG LIKE BEFORE IN "SPURTS" AND I FELT THE WARRANTY SHOULD COVER WHAT I HAD IT IN FOR BEFORE. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I TOOK MY CAR TO A GARAGE, THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATER ($453.16). NOW, IN THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, MY CAR MISSES AFTER IT IS STARTED AND STILL IDLING ROUGH. TOOK IT BACK TO THE GARAGE AND WAS TOLD IT IS NOW MY FUEL PUMP. I CONTACTED

NHTSA ID
711423
Incident
Jul 28, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Sep 8, 1999

SEAT BELT RETRACTORS.

NHTSA ID
609112
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999

SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA ID
607592
Incident
Oct 1, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Jan 13, 1998

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID
528130
Seat belts
Filed Jan 6, 1998

AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA ID
527675
Incident
Oct 11, 1997
Seat belts
Filed Dec 18, 1997

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE SEAT BELT NOT RETRACTING. ALSO, THE BELT IS FULLY EXTENDED OUT, CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELTS ARE ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER. AS OF 12/10/97 DEALER CALLED TO SAY THAT SEAT BELT IS IN. WILL TAKE VEHICLE IN ON 12/15/97. *AK

NHTSA ID
819477
Incident
Oct 31, 1997

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .