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 2003 Saturn Ion submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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
TAKATA RECALL THE SEAT BELTS WHEN STOPPING SUDDENLY DO NOT ALWAYS LOCK UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS. THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS BEEN PRODUCING A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF FUELING UP. AND THE FUEL PUMP WILL KNOCK OCCASIONALLY EVEN AFTER IT'S BEEN CHANGED. THE SUSPENSION IS REALLY BAD AND DANGEROUS, RATTLING NOISE AND SHAKING.
ON MAY 21ST 2014 FIDELITY FLEET AND FINANCE IN PORTLAND OR KNOWING SOLD ME A 2003 SATURN ION WHICH IS INVOLVED IN THE GM IGNITION RECALL. WHEN ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS PART OF THE RECALL THE RESPONSE WAS CLEARLY REPRESENTED AS THE CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND IT WAS SAFE AND MECHANICALLY SOUND. THE DEALERSHIP USES DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND SELLS UNSAFE VEHICLES INCLUDING THOSE LINKED TO DEATHS AND THOUSANDS OF INJURIES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ALSO FAILED TO REGISTER THE VEHICLE IN OVER 70 DAYS SINCE THE PURCHASE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO UNLOCK. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNFASTEN THE SEAT BELT, SOMEONE HAD TO CUT IT IN ORDER TO FREE THE CONTACT FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GET REPAIRED AND WAS INFORMED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. SHE FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT; THEREFORE, THE REPAIR SHOULD BE FREE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000. UPDATED 12/1/08 *CN THE DEALER REPLACED THE SET BELT AND BUCKLE. UPDATED 12/05/08. *JB
DROVE TO WORK; USED SEATBELT GUIDE; GOT BACK IN CAR TO GO HOME GUIDE NOT THERE. SEAT BELT GUIDE ATTACHED TO HEADREST CRACKED AND BROKE OFF; CANNOT REACH TO WHERE SEATBELT ATTACHED TO CAR FRAME. CAR DEALERSHIP EXTENDED WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER REPLACEMENT. *NM
STEEL BAR IN HEAD REST IS NO LONGER PADDED. *NM
SUBJECT: LOOSE SATURN SEATBELT BOLT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT HAS OCCURRED WITH MY 2003 SATURN ION 3: I HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT CHANGED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IN MARCH 2003. THIS PAST WEEKEND I WAS PUTTING MY SON IN HIS CARSEAT IN THE BACKSEAT AND NOTICED MY FOOT JIGGLING SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR. WHEN I LOOKED CLOSER I REALIZED IT WAS THE RESTRAINING BOLT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT, AND THE BOLT WAS SO LOOSE THAT IT CAME OUT OF THE HOLE INTO MY HAND WHEN I TOUCHED IT. I WAS SHOCKED AND SCARED. TO THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT HAD BEEN KEEPING MY HUSBAND AND I "SAFE" WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD!!! I TOOK MY CAR INTO SATURN OF SALEM TODAY AND HAD THEM COMPLETELY GO OVER THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR THE VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME THAT LOCK-TIGHT HAD BEEN PUT ON THE BOLT WHEN THE NEW SEATBELT HAD BEEN INSTALLED BUT THE BOLT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED ENOUGH (TO SATURN'S SPECS). AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT! I AM TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF MY HUSBAND, MYSELF AND MY CHILD, AND THE SERVICE TECH SEEMED TO ACT AS IF THE WHOLE SITUATION WAS NO BIG DEAL. I AM APPALLED. I DO NOT KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS RAISED THIS CONCERN, BUT I WISHED TO INFORM YOU OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. SINCERELY, DAWN YOUNG 503-485-8642 (WORK)
IN A PANIC SITUATION, THE OWNER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE HORN BUTTON DUE TO THE SIZE AND LOCATION. THIS CAUSED A DISTRACTION, DUE TO THE CONSUMER HAVING TO TAKE HER EYES OFF THE ROAD AND LOOK ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCATE THE HORN BUTTON.*AK THE CONSUMER NOTED THE DRIVER'S HEAD REST WAS TILTED TOO FAR FORWARD, THE PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY CORRECTED. *JB *NM
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FELL APART. *AK THE BOLT THAT CONNECTS THE WEBBING TO THE FLOOR WAS NOT FULLY SCREWED IN AT THE PLANT. THE BOLT BACKED OUT AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SEATBELT WEBBING BECAME UNATTACHED. THIS IS NOT A BUCKLE ISSUE OR A RETRACTOR ISSUE. MANUFACTURING DEFECT FROM THE PLANT BECAUSE THE BOLT WAS NOT FULLY TORQUED. DEALER FIXED BY TIGHTENING THE BOLT. CW
WHILE PLACING SEAT BELT ON THE BOLT BROKE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. *AK
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 .