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.
26
Latest Apr 6, 2006
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.
11%
of 227 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2
What this page shows
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Saturn Sl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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 26, in the owner's own words
THE FRONT SIDE PASSENGER SEAT/SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM WOULD NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE ON MY 1997 SATURN 4-DOOR SEDAN. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE RETRACTOR HAD "FROZEN" & I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OF THE '97 SATURN SEAT BELTS FOR RETRACTOR DOING THE SAME THING IN THE 2 DR COUPE MODEL; I WAS TOLD MY MODEL WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND RARELY DOES THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT HAVE AN OCCUPANT. THE SEAT BELT WILL BE REPLACED AS WE NEED IT TO ENSURE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS AS WELL AS COMPLY WITH THE IL STATE LAW. *JB
NHTSA ID
10154711
Incident
Mar 10, 2006
Mileage
88,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jun 28, 2005
THE REAR ANCHOR ON THE CAR SEAT BASE SLIPPED OUT OF ITS POSITION. *JB THE CARRIER HAD GOTTEN STUCK AND WAS REMOVED. *SC 8JB
NHTSA ID
10127906
Incident
Jun 28, 2005
Seat belts
Filed May 6, 2005
THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE FRONT SEAT BELT PROBLEM. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT EXTEND OUT FOR USE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST $900.00. *AK *SC
NHTSA ID
10117825
Incident
Feb 15, 2005
Mileage
54,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 19, 2004
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED. *AK *MR
NHTSA ID
10049879
Incident
Nov 30, 2003
Mileage
23,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 10, 2004
DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS LOCKED. *AK
NHTSA ID
10057822
Incident
Feb 5, 2004
Mileage
79,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Dec 31, 2001
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE PASSENGER SEATBELT ASSEMBLY BROKE, DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE ON 12/30/2001 MILEAGE 120,000. *AK
NHTSA ID
756252
Incident
Mar 1, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Jul 24, 2001
THE REAR SEAT BELTS(OUTBOARD) DO NOT FIT A SMALLER ADULT(5 FT) PROPERLY. THERE IS NO ABILITY TO ADJUST THEM.
NHTSA ID
9003387
Seat belts
Filed Mar 11, 2001
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOWER RETRACTOR FROZE W/ SEAT BELT IN RETRACTED POSITION, RENDERING SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. RETRACTOR IS NOT IN A LOCATION SERVICABLE BY THE OWNER, AND IS CURRENTLY STUCK FAST FOR NO APPARANT REASON. COST OF REPAIR NOT YET KNOWN. CAR IS A VERY LOW MILAGE VEHICLE, FORMERLY OWNED BY AN ELDERLY MAN. CAR HAD 10,200 MILES ON IT IN SEPT. 2000 WHEN PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ESTATE. PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED ON 3/9/01 AFTER I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 9000 MILES. *AK
NHTSA ID
742254
Incident
Mar 9, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jan 26, 2001
FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATBELT STAYS RETRACTED. *AK SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND COMPLETELY AROUND PASSENGER. *YH
NHTSA ID
879103
Incident
Jan 16, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jan 23, 2001
LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT DEPLOY. JAMS AND WILL NOT EXTEND. *AK
NHTSA ID
739843
Seat belts
Filed Jan 16, 2001
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO EXTEND, HAD TO BE REPLACED, P/N 21055604, FOR A TOTAL REPAIR COST OF $135. *AK
NHTSA ID
739470
Incident
Jan 7, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Oct 16, 2000
A DEFECTIVE LATCH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL TO LOCK IN PLACE, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEFECT BE REPAIRED BY DEALER. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC
NHTSA ID
556145
Seat belts
Filed Jul 8, 2000
Crash reported2 injuries reported
THE SATURN WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR IN THE MERGE LANE WHILE PREPARING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO FUNCTION RESULTING IN DRIVER STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER FACE. LACERATIONS, STITCHES, BROKEN NOSE RESULTED. PASSENGER SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.*AK
NHTSA ID
725124
Incident
Jun 29, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Feb 18, 2000
PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
NHTSA ID
857260
Incident
Jan 27, 2000
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Feb 16, 2000
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT LOCK UP, AND ALLOW OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. BACK SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. MECHANIC HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK *ML
NHTSA ID
857060
Incident
Mar 1, 1997
Seat belts
Filed Feb 6, 2000
MY SEAT BELT LOCKS UP INTERMITTANTLY. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE IN BAD WEATHER. I THINK IT IS THE RETRACTOR SYSTEM, BUT I AM NOT SURE. I WILL CONTACT THE DEALER THIS WEEK. I HAVE SEARCHED THE NHTSA'S CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND 4 SIMILAR TO MINE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW, IF THIS IS SOMETHING SATURN SHOULD PAY FOR. *AK
NHTSA ID
718385
Incident
Feb 4, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Jan 27, 2000
THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, AND WILL NOT COME OUT. AS A RESULT, DRIVER CANNOT WEAR A SEATBELT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
855575
Seat belts
Filed Oct 1, 1999
SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER. THIS OCCURED WHILE ON VACATION DEALER AT MY VACATION LOCATION CHARGED FOR REPAIR I FELT SHOUD HAVE BEEN DONE FREE.
NHTSA ID
712658
Incident
Sep 20, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Aug 27, 1999
Crash reported
CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BROKE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
NHTSA ID
846006
Incident
Jul 7, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Aug 19, 1999
FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
845376
Seat belts
Filed Feb 1, 1999
SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED.MGM
NHTSA ID
606897
Incident
Aug 5, 1998
Seat beltsTransmission
Filed Feb 1, 1999
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR EXPERIENCING FAILURE. *YC
NHTSA ID
606609
Incident
Oct 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jun 1, 1998
SEAT BELT LOCK. BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA ID
536410
Incident
May 27, 1998
Body & structureBrakesHeating & air conditioning+3 more
Filed Apr 14, 1998
SUNVISOR CRACKED.
NHTSA ID
534043
Incident
Jan 23, 1998
Seat belts
Filed Mar 24, 1998
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT STUCK.
NHTSA ID
533019
Incident
Dec 17, 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