Front Seat Belt Retractor problems of the 1999 Buick Park Avenue

Six problems related to front seat belt retractor have been reported for the 1999 Buick Park Avenue. The most recently reported issues are listed below.

1 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 05/01/2004

The seat belt will not pull out of the retractor. Contacted the dealer. However, the problem recurred.

2 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 02/13/2004

From time to time the front set passenger shoulder seat belt becomes stuck in the retractor. It usually takes several minutes of playing with it to get it unstuck so that the seat belt can be used as designed.

3 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 12/19/2003

Driver's side shoulder belt stuck in the release position. As a result, consumer was unable to tighten the belt. Dealership replaced the entire seat belt, but the cause of the failure was yet to be determined.

4 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 10/09/2002

Front passenger seat belt will fully retract after use and then for no reason seat belt will not release. The seat belt is unavailable for use for extended periods of time. Thus causing us to use the vehicle with out the use of a safety feature that is required by law to be buckled when automobile is in use. Had dealer look at car and was informed that seat belt would need to be replaced at a cost of $600. 00. I see that there are other complaints about the seat belts not working yet no service bulletin has been issued or a recall for this very important safety devise.

5 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 09/17/2002

Driver's seat belt cannot be or is very difficult to pull from the fully retracted position.

6 Front Seat Belt Retractor problem

Failure Date: 04/03/2000

Either left or right front seat belt fail to extend from the retract mechanism when the seat belt has been fully retracted. Service dept. And Buick's dealer district manager, state that seat belts are working as "designed"! when this condition occurs there is an unknown amount of time that will pass before the seat belt will "release itself" from this "fully retracted position" and allow the person to extend the belt and buckle to the latch receptacle. When this "condition" occurs, [ the service manager and the Buick district manager have seen the condition occur on my Buick and also on '2000 Buick p/a, VIN: 1g4c65415y4269824'. The Buick district manager as "o. K. 'ed the replacement of the seat belts, but under the statement "that the replacement seat belts will have the same design" implying that I can expect the same conditions. I did not purchase this vehicle to sit in the garage. My wife and I expect to drive the Buick. We need seat belts that work correctly, not one's that have defects that will not allow them to be extended in a normal operation and buckled in the latch. Please provide assistanc e to me and other gm and Buick product owners. This condition was also demonstrated on the 2001 Buick lesabre on the show room of the dealer. Vehicle detail not available, this condition exist on multiple years of vehicles and must be resolved quickly! there are perhaps numbers of persons operating their gm and or Buick vehicles without having their seat belts buckled due to this defect in seat belt design. ***help!***.


Other Seat Belt related problems of the 1999 Buick Park Avenue



Park Avenue Service Bulletins
Park Avenue Safety Recalls
Park Avenue Defect Investigations