RoadVitals

2004 Saab 9-3 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.
80
Latest Jul 15, 2024
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.
39%
of 207 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Saab 9-3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 80 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

The 25 most recent of 80, in the owner's own words

Seat belts
Filed Jul 15, 2024

Retractor won't pull driver side seat belt back in

NHTSA ID
11602156
Incident
May 10, 2024
Seat belts
Filed Mar 29, 2022

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER PLACED THE REQUEST*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA ID
11458819
Incident
Mar 29, 2021
Mileage
119,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 14, 2020

CALLED DEVOE AUTOMOTIVE IN NAPLES TO HAVE RECALLED SEATBELT FIXED, IT JUST FAILED TO RETRACT. I SENT A PICTURE OF THE VIN. AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND IT AND COULD NOT HELP US WITH OUT A LETTER WITH OUR VIN ON IT SAYING THE BROKEN SEATBELT WAS RECALLED, JUST BECAUSE IT WILL NOT RETRACT THAT DIDN'T MEAN IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I ASTKED HOW I WOULD GET A LETTER BUT RECEIVED NO GUIDANCE. I WAS ALSO TOLD SAAB IS OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEY WILL HELP KNOWN CUSTOMERS AND SINCE WE WERE IN TAMPA THEY COULDN'T HELP IT WAS SO FAR FOR US TO TRAVEL. I STATED THEY ARE ONE OF FIVE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS LISTED TO FIX THIS RECALL. ALSO TOLD THEM TAMPA REPAIR MAN WAS SICK WITH CARONA VIRUS AND THAT'S WHY I CALLED THEM. SHE TOLD ME ANYONE CAN FIX A BROKEN SEATBELT, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE AND WE CAN'T FIND ANYONE TO HELP US. BASICALLY BECAUSE WE WERE NOT A LOCAL KNOWN CUSTOMER THIS DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT SUPPORT US UNLESS I PROVED THEY HAD TOO.

NHTSA ID
11321112
Incident
Apr 14, 2020
Mileage
110,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 3, 2019

I RECIEVED A LETTER RECALL 15027 DATED DECEMBER 2018. I HAD TO HAVE MY SEATBELT REPAIRED IN JUNE 2016. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $401 AND WAS REPAIRED BY BICKLERS REPAIR. I AM REQUESTING REEMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR IN 2016. IT IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY SO I CURRENTLY HAVE IT IN FOR REPAIRS AT RIMROCK PONTIAC IN BILLINGS.

NHTSA ID
11165716
Incident
Jun 13, 2016
Seat belts
Filed Aug 20, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHEVROLET WEST AMARILLO (7300 I-40 FRONTAGE RD, WEST AMARILLO, TX 79106, 806-553-5673) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,000.

NHTSA ID
11121019
Incident
Aug 1, 2018
Mileage
164,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Nov 1, 2017

I HAVE A RECALL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT. IT WAS BROKEN AND IS UNSPOOLED.

NHTSA ID
11042242
Incident
Oct 27, 2017
Mileage
95,411 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 24, 2016

FRONT DRIVER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS FAILED WHEN I WENT TO FASTEN MY SEAT BELT.

NHTSA ID
10918609
Incident
Oct 24, 2016
Mileage
106,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jul 5, 2016

SAAB RECALL. I RECEIVED BOTH SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND AIRBAG INFLATE DEFECT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. HOWEVER, IN MY CAR THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MALFUNCTION IS IN THE DRIVER SIDE. I HAVE CALLED THE SAAB OFFICIAL SERVICE CENTER AND THE DEALER FOR BOTH PROBLEMS SEVERAL DAYS UP TODAY AND I HAVE NOT HAD AN ANSWER OR SOLUTION TO THOSE PROBLEMS. BESIDES, I HAVE TRIED TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT, BUT I CAN'T FIND THE PART. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE ATTACHED PHOTOS TO DRIVE WITH A SEAT BELT IN THAT CONDITIONS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT I AM NOT SAFE DRIVING MY CAR, AND THAT THE HAZARD HAS INCREASED WITH THIS CAR'S AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. I AM A 79 YEARS OLD MAN WHO HAS THIS CAR AS THE ONLY MEAN OF TRANSPORTATION THAT I HAVE.

NHTSA ID
10882779
Incident
Feb 13, 2016
Seat belts
Filed Dec 8, 2015

SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE COMPLETELY UNSPOOLED AND WILL NOT RETRACT UNDER NORMAL USE EFFECTING DRIVER'S SAFETY IN EVENT OF A CRASH. WHILE CONVERTIBLE AND PASSEGER SIDE RETRACTORS SEEM TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY WE ARE TOLD OUR CAR IS NOT COVERED AND IT IS $550 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHEN SO MANY SAABS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PARKED WHEN IT UNSPOOLED AND WOULDN'T RETRACT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10809091
Incident
Dec 4, 2015
Mileage
200,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 30, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V318000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ID
10745099
Incident
Mar 15, 2015
Mileage
58,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 2015

I DO HAVE A 2004 SAAB 9-3 ARC CONVERTIBLE. THERE IS A SEAT BELT RECALL. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY GMC TUSTIN DEALER 3 WEEKS AGO. HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. SINCE IT IS A SEAT BELT ISSUE, I DO NOT LIKE TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUE. BY LAW, HOW FAST DOES THE MANUFACTURER HAVE TO REPLACE THE PART?

NHTSA ID
10725586
Incident
May 30, 2015
Seat belts
Filed Apr 24, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE TO THE MANUFACTURER TO BE REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THROUGH TO SCHEDULE A RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO SECURE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FOR IT TO RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10712726
Incident
Aug 15, 2014
Seat belts
Filed Apr 7, 2015

GM SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE DATED 08/2014 REGARDING FAULTY SEAT BELTS IN 2004 SAAB CONVERTIBLES. GM SAFETY RECALL #14222/ SAAB SAFETY RECALL #15027. IT HAS BEEN 8 MONTHS AND NO FURTHER WORD FROM GM ABOUT THE REPAIR. I BELIEVE I MAY BE DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. ANY UPDATES THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10704307
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
75,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 19, 2015

PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T WORK. THERE WAS A RECALL BY NHTSA HOWEVER I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED REGARDING GETTING THE SEAT BELT FIXED. THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I CANNOT HAVE ANYBODY DRIVE WITH ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10684234
Incident
Nov 25, 2013
Mileage
100 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 13, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

NHTSA ID
10683278
Incident
Feb 12, 2015
Mileage
162,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 21, 2014

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED ON A NON ACCIDENT RELATED INCIDENT. WAS REPAIRED APPROXIMATELY 2-3 YEARS AGO, HOWEVER THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT HAS SINCED FAILED. I TRIED TO GET THIS FIXED VIA THE DEALER SHIP, HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP WAS ADAMANT ABOUT NOT PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. AS I POINTED OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THIS WAS A SAFETY FAILURE AND POSSIBLE LAWSUIT IF THE PASSERGER WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. MASSACHUSETTS REQUIRES SEAT BELT USAGE. I CONTACTED THE AG FOR MASSACHUSETTS, BUT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS UNREPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10626981
Incident
Nov 11, 2013
Seat belts
Filed Aug 19, 2014

I JUST CALLED THE GM SAAB CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TO ASK ABOUT THE RECENT DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RECALL. I HAD PAID FOR THAT LAST YEAR AN AM REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED BUT WAS TOLD I WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT NOTICE COMES OUT SAYING THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE PARTS. IN THE NOTICE I READ THAT THEY INDICATED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT BE COVERED HOWEVER IF AN ISSUE ARISES IT WILL BE COVERED. WHEN I ASKED IF SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED SINCE THIS SEAT BELT MIGHT NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY I WAS TOLD YES. WHEN I ASKED WHY IT WAS NOT THEN PART OF THE RECALL I WAS TOLD BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE PARTS. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT LIVES ARE BEING PUT AT RISK SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PARTICULAR SUPPLIER OF THESE PARTS TO GM IS OUT OF THEM. I HAD NO PROBLEM GETTING THE PART WHEN I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR TAKING A RISK LIKE THIS WITH PEOPLES LIVES AND THE DANGER OF HAVING SOMEONE USE THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL NOTICE AND ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED WHEN I ASKED. I AM A TRAINED EMS PROVIDER AND FIND THIS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10626411
Incident
Aug 19, 2014
Mileage
79,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 19, 2014

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. HAVE INVESTIGATED RECALLS AND FOUND THAT THREE PREVIOUS RECALLS DO NOT COVER THIS VIN NUMBER. HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT PART; HAVE CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP 2+ HOURS AWAY THAT WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT AT A COST OF $650. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE, AND HAVE ONLY OWNED THE CAR 8 MONTHS. GM SHOULD RECALL ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, AND/OR EXPAND THE JUNE 2014 RECALL TO COVER ADDITIONAL VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10626256
Incident
Aug 14, 2014
Mileage
55,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 18, 2014

THE AUTOMATIC TENSIONING SYSTEM CABLE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE SAT BELT WEBBING TO BE SPOOLED OUT AND NOT RETRACT. *TR WE TOOK THE CAR TO A SAAB DEALER AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS THEY SAID THEY HAD NO IDEA WHEN THEY WOULD HAVE THE PARTS TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE FAULTY BELT COMPONENTS. WE JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (14222/SAAB SAFETY RECALL 15027) FROM GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, STATING THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE AND WILL NOTIFY US WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. HOW DO WE RECOVER THE $532 WE SPENT FIXING THIS PROBLEM 2 YEARS AGO?

NHTSA ID
10626118
Incident
Sep 3, 2012
Mileage
50,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 26, 2014

SAAB AERO 9-3 WITH ONLY 73K DRIVER SEAT BELT WORKED FINE ON SATURDAY THE NEXT DAY I NOTICED IT WAS NOT RETRACTED SO PULLED ON IT AND IT UNRAVELED IN MY LAP. CALL GM MONDAY AFTER RESEARCHING RECALLS ONLINE. MY VIN IS NOT COVERED?... IF IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THE BUYER EXPERIENCES THE ISSUE -WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT GM WOULD REPAIR IT??? *TR

NHTSA ID
10616447
Incident
Jul 6, 2014
Mileage
734,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 2014

UPON COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT CAME UNRAVELLED FROM THE SEAT BACK AND WILL NOT RETRACT. I LOOKED UP THE VEHICLE FOR RECALLS AND FOUND THEIR IS A VIN SPECIFIC RECALL ON THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE VIN SPECIFIC. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO GM AND SAAB SINCE 2010 AND NOT ONLY WAS I NOT NOTIFIED SO I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN A POTENTIALLY. UNSAFE VEHICLE BUT NOW I AM BEING TOLD MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10598674
Incident
Jun 2, 2014
Mileage
73,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 3, 2014

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. AFTER GOOGLING I READ THAT THERE ARE 2 RECALLS ON THE SAAB 9-3 2004 DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS NOT WORKING. TODAY I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER CURRENTLY SERVICING SAAB'S (JIM ELLIS MAZDA) THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. IF THAT IS TRUE, THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO OTHER VIN'S SINCE THIS ONE FAILED TOO. PLEASE HELP!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10595949
Incident
May 30, 2014
Mileage
94,000 mi
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Feb 25, 2014

DURING THE TIME FRAME THAT I FIRST RECEIVED THE NOTICE OF THE RECALL OF THE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR MY VEHICLE THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS (LEFT-SIDE PASSENGER BEHIND THE DRIVER) ON MY VEHICLE HAD FAILED TO RETRACT PROPERLY. WHEN I INITIALLY TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS I INQUIRED AS TO THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE REAR SEAT BELTS AT THAT TIME HOWEVER, I SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR SAAB WEBSITE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SEATBELT RECALLS. AS OF DATE I HAVE NOT LOCATED ANY ADDITIONAL RECALL NOTICES FROM SAAB REGARDING THE SEAT BELTS ON THE 2004 9-3 AERO. FOR SAFETY REASONS I NO LONGER USE THE LEST SIDE PASSENGER SEAT IN MY VEHICLE AS NOW THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565879
Incident
Feb 28, 2010
Seat belts
Filed Jan 7, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT OR LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,200.

NHTSA ID
10558892
Incident
Dec 28, 2013
Mileage
84,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jan 5, 2014

I GOT IN MY VEHICLE, WENT TO PUT ON MY SEAT-BELT, AND THE ENTIRE BELT PULLED OUT OF THE UNIT. IT WILL NOT RETRACT AT ALL ANYMORE. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON MY YEAR/MODEL VEHICLE WITH RESPECT TO THE BROKEN BELT RETRACTORS. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN NUMBER FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL RANGE. IT SEEMS THAT IF I HAVE THE SAME YEAR/MODEL VEHICLE BEING RECALLED AND THE SAME ISSUE AS THE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED, GM SHOULD EXPAND THE VIN'S THAT ARE BEING COVERED TO FIX THIS VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY MECHANISM FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10558543
Incident
Dec 2, 2013
Mileage
93,000 mi

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 .