NHTSA Complaint #10140754 — 2005 SAAB 9-3

SEAT BELT REPAIR PROBLEM RE 2005 SAAB 9.3 VIN [XXX] PURCHASED DEC '04, INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT AUG '05. NO REPAIR PARTS STOCKED IN USA, THEREFORE ORDERED FROM SWEDEN. AFTER SEVEN WEEKS ON ORDER, MOST REPAIR PARTS RECEIVED AND REPAIRS FINALLY HAVE BEEN STARTED MORE THAN EIGHT WEEKS SINCE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER SEAT BELT REPAIR KIT IS STILL ON BACK ORDER. AM ADVISED THAT SAAB'S ORIGINAL SUPPLIER OF SEAT BELT UNITS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND A NEW SUPPLIER HAS NOT BEEN CONTRACTED. SEEMS TO ME THAT AUTO MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO STOCK SAFETY ITEMS AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LET SUPPLY OF SAFETY ITEMS LAPSE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT SOURCES, PARTICULARLY ON LATE MODEL CARS (MINE IS OF THE CURRENT 2005 MODEL YEAR). LOCAL DEALER TRYING UTMOST, BUT SAAB USA AND SAAB SWEDEN APPEAR NOT TOO RESPONSIVE. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)