Front Seat Belt Retractor problems of the 2003 SAAB 9-3

The contact owns a 2003 SAAB 93. The contact stated that the front driver side seat belt would not retract when the vehicle was parked. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that they were not going to cover the cost associated with the repair. The vehicle was previously included and repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor) yet the failure persisted following repairs. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 01/18/11 updated 01/31/11.

The contact owns a 2003 SAAB 9-3. The driver's seat belt does not retract and remains loose. The contact has not taken the vehicle to the dealer, but he discovered NHTSA campaign id number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The manufacturer stated that his VIN was not included in the recall. The contact felt that it was unsafe to drive a vehicle with a malfunctioning seat belt. The failure mileage was 49,000 and current mileage was 51,000.

Since owning my 2003 9-3, the parking brake stuck and would not release ultimately having to be replaced. The rear bushings on the sway bar had to be replaced, multiple light bulbs. At about 20,000 miles the steering rack needed to be replaced, most recently the power sterring pump now needs to be replaced. The seat belt also let go and had to be replaced. I thought that all that could go wrong, had gone wrong until the power steering pump went. Now reading other owner comments I have no faith in this vehicle. This is my fourth SAAB, my last I traded at over 180,000 miles with no problems.