RoadVitals

2005 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.
22
Latest Aug 3, 2023
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.
23%
of 95 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Saab 9-3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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

Seat belts
Filed Aug 3, 2023

The contact owns a 2005 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front passenger's side seat belt failed to latch. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V318000 (Seat Belts). The vehicle was not repaired. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11536267
Incident
Jan 15, 2021
Seat belts
Filed Apr 22, 2019

NHTSA 14V318000 WAS A RECALL FOR SEAT BELTS THAT FAILS TO RETRACT. WHEN I GET INTO MY CAR AND PULL IT OUT TO FASTEN IT OFTEN REMAINS SLACK. THAT EVENT CAUSED ME TO DO RESEARCH AND FIND THE RECALL. BUT IT DID NOT EXTEND TO MY CAR WHICH HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE RECALL WAS TOO NARROW.

NHTSA ID
11202805
Incident
Apr 16, 2019
Mileage
130,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Feb 15, 2018

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS) AND 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. WEST COUNTY VOLVO (14410 MANCHESTER RD, MANCHESTER, MO) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID
11073037
Incident
Jun 12, 2014
Seat belts
Filed Jan 3, 2018

THE DRIVER'S SEAT-BELT HAS STOPPED RETRACTING. THE ITEM HAS A RECALL BUT PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE

NHTSA ID
11058400
Incident
Dec 1, 2017
Mileage
119,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Sep 8, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

NHTSA ID
10904619
Incident
Sep 3, 2016
Mileage
128,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 29, 2015

MUCH LIKE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V318000 (GM RECALL NUMBER 14222), THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE BELT IS PULLED OUT. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE BELT WOULD NOT BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE DRIVER TO RETRACT, SINCE IT IS TOO LOOSE.

NHTSA ID
10816874
Incident
Dec 1, 2014
Mileage
120,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 28, 2015

RECALL 14222/15027. RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL NOTICE TO REPLACE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT MECHANISM. UPON MAKING SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH LOCAL GM DEALER THEY STATED THEY DO NOT HAVE A TECHNICIAN TO DO IT. I TRIED CALLING THE 800 NUMBER ON THE RECALL NOTICE AND GOT A RECORDING THAT THE NUMBER WAS NO LONGER IN SERVICE. HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHO CAN PERFORM THIS RECALL SERVICE?

NHTSA ID
10816415
Incident
Dec 28, 2015
Seat belts
Filed Sep 17, 2015

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT INTERNAL CABLE BROKE. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THERE IS A RECALL. BUT, THE PARTS ARE BACKORDERED OVER 10 MONTHS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. NOTHING I CAN DO. GM HAS NOT PROVIDED A DATE WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10764630
Incident
Sep 17, 2015
Seat belts
Filed Aug 31, 2015

THE RETRACTOR FOR THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IN MY 2005 SAAB 9-3 AERO CONVERTIBLE BROKE. THIS DEFECT IS ALREADY SUBJECT OF A RECALL BY GM. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE OF THIS RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED GM, THE LOCAL DEALER, AND PARTS DISTRIBUTOR SEVERAL TIMES, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ITEM IS ON INDEFINITE BACK ORDER AND IS UNLIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE. I BELIEVE THIS SIGNIFICANTLY COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF THE CAR AND IS AN ATTEMPT BY GM TO AVOID THE RECALL AND REPAIRING THIS SAFETY DEFECT. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE SURE GM COMPLIES WITH THE RECALL REQUIREMENTS?

NHTSA ID
10760460
Incident
Jul 1, 2015
Mileage
119,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 16, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY STILL DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO SATISFY THE RECALL. INTERMITTENTLY, THE CONTACT HAD AN ISSUE WITH RETRACTING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT AFTER USE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ID
10725508
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
10,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 24, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTING. AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED, THE SEAT BELT BECAME EXTREMELY TIGHT UPON RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V226000 (SEAT BELTS). THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 7/9/15*CN

NHTSA ID
10712709
Incident
Apr 4, 2014
Mileage
45,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 23, 2014

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10667957
Incident
Nov 1, 2013
Mileage
150,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 18, 2014

NUMEROUS SAAB OWNERS INCLUDING MYSELF HAVE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS FOR THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGERS SEATS. THESE SEAT BELTS BREAK AND DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AND THEY MUST BE MANUALLY FED BACK INTO THE CAR BODY IN ORDER TO TIGHTEN. IF THIS IS NOT DONE THE SEAT BELT WILL FAIL TO HOLD THE OCCUPANTS IN THE SEAT DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT WHICH DUE TO THIS DEFECT MAY BECOME FATAL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10625932
Incident
Aug 18, 2013
Mileage
70,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 23, 2014

I GOT IN MY CAR TO GO TO WORK AND AS I PULLED THE BELT OVER MY SHOULDER THE RETRACTING MECHANISM SNAPPED. THE BELT WAS COMPLETELY SLACK WITH NO PROTECTIVE CAPACITY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2005. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A RECALL ITEM. I ORDERED THE BELT, IT WAS BACKORDERED ("COMING IN FROM SWEDEN"). I MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR REPLACING IT, TOOK IT IN AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A RECALL. THEY SAID IT WAS ACTUALLY A "CAMPAIGN" TO REPLACE FAULTY BELT MECHANISMS. TEN MINUTES LATER THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS, STATING THAT THEY JUST FOUND OUT (?) IT DIDN'T COVER THE CONVERTIBLE...ONLY THE SEDANS. I PAID $431.80 FOR THE BELT AND $337.50 FOR THE LABOR TO INSTALL IT. I FELT THAT, AS I OR MY WIFE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR WORSE HAD IT FAILED IN A COLLISION, THE RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD LIE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALERSHIP IS WEST COUNTY (SAAB) VOLVO, 14410 MANCHESTER ROAD, MANCHESTER, MO 63011. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605202
Incident
Apr 11, 2014
Mileage
56,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed May 22, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

NHTSA ID
10593497
Incident
May 19, 2014
Mileage
116,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 26, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10537345
Incident
Aug 26, 2007
Mileage
20,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10505259
Incident
Apr 15, 2011
Mileage
65,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Mar 1, 2013

I JUST PURCHASED A SAAB AND I NOTICED I HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ISSUE SOMEONE ELSE COMPLAINED ABOUT. THE SEAT BELT HAS NO TENSION AND WOULDN'T STOP MY FORWARD MOMENTUM IN AN ACCIDENT. SEARCHING ONLINE I NOTICED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE IN SAABS FROM AROUND THIS TIME AND THERE ARE RECALLS ON OTHER YEAR MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10500971
Incident
Mar 1, 2013
Mileage
103,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 23, 2012

MY SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. IT IS VERY WEAK AND DOESN'T MAKE THE SEAT BELT TIGHT TO MY CHEST. EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS A 2005 SAAB HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST THINK IF I GET IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT, IT COULD KILL ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10472039
Incident
Aug 1, 2012
Mileage
93,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER FOLDING THE SEAT BACK THE SEAT BELT BECAME LOCKED IN PLACE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HIM TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

NHTSA ID
10404027
Incident
Jun 1, 2011
Mileage
95,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 14, 2006

THE PLASTIC AROUND THE TONGUE OF THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT HAS A VERTICAL CRACK PRESENTING A POTENTIAL POINT OF FAILURE IN AN ACCIDENT WHEREBY THE WEBBING WOULD BE PUSHED THROUGH THE PLASTIC SURROUNDING THE TONGUE AND CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BE UNRESTRAINED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10165431
Incident
Aug 13, 2006
Mileage
20,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 25, 2005
Crash reported

SEAT BELT REPAIR PROBLEM RE 2005 SAAB 9.3 VIN [XXX] PURCHASED DEC '04, INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT AUG '05. NO REPAIR PARTS STOCKED IN USA, THEREFORE ORDERED FROM SWEDEN. AFTER SEVEN WEEKS ON ORDER, MOST REPAIR PARTS RECEIVED AND REPAIRS FINALLY HAVE BEEN STARTED MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS SINCE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER SEAT BELT REPAIR KIT IS STILL ON BACK ORDER. AM ADVISED THAT SAAB'S ORIGINAL SUPPLIER OF SEAT BELT UNITS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND A NEW SUPPLIER HAS NOT BEEN CONTRACTED. SEEMS TO ME THAT AUTO MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO STOCK SAFETY ITEMS AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LET SUPPLY OF SAFETY ITEMS LAPSE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT SOURCES, PARTICULARLY ON LATE MODEL CARS (MINE IS OF THE CURRENT 2005 MODEL YEAR). LOCAL DEALER TRYING UTMOST, BUT SAAB USA AND SAAB SWEDEN APPEAR NOT TOO RESPONSIVE. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10140754
Incident
Aug 19, 2005
Mileage
29,612 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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .