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
1997 Saturn SL: seat belt won't latch or retract
18 of the 226 complaints about the 1997 Saturn SL describe seat belt won't latch or retract.
- owner complaints
- 18
- of this car's complaints
- 8%
- recalls
- 0
Seat belt won't latch or retract by model year
What owners say
Driver's side seat belt retractor failed. *ak
This was the first time the passenger seatbelt assembly broke, driver's side broke on 12/30/2001 mileage 120,000.
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.
Front passenger's seatbelt stays retracted. *ak seat belt would not extend completely around passenger.
Front passenger side seatbelt failed to extend, had to be replaced, p/n 21055604, for a total repair cost of $135.
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)
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.
Passenger's seat belt failed to retract from retractor. Dealer notified and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer.
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
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 federal safety agency's consumer complaints and found 4 similar to mine. Please let me know, if this is something saturn should pay for.
Consumer was at a stop when another vehicle rear ended consumer's vehicle. Upon impact, driver's side seatbelt broke, and vehicle was totaled.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 1997 Saturn SL seat belt
Is seat belt won't latch or retract a common problem on the 1997 Saturn SL?
18 of 226 owner complaints about the 1997 Saturn SL (8%) mention seat belt won't latch or retract. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Saturn SL?
There is no recall or service bulletin for this area of the car on record.
Other symptoms on the 1997 Saturn SL
Oil consumption 7Tire blowout 7Fuel pump 6Stalling 6Adaptive cruise 5Brake failure 5Harsh shifting 5Won't start 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1997 Saturn SL?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history