NHTSA Complaint #10167924 — 1999 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA

I OWN A 1999 CARRERA CABRIOLET. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH DISPLAYS CONTINUOUSLY AND THE FRONT DRIVER' S SIDE LAP BELT DOES NOT ENGAGE. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. THE DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEMS AND THE PARTS WERE NEVER OBTAINED AND THE WARRANTY REPAIR NEVER COMPLETED. THE SEAT BELT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY WORK BUT NOW IT IS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THIS IS APPARENTLY A RELATIVELY COMMON OCCURRENCE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. I BELIEVE THAT PORSCHE IS NOT MEETING FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS BY ITS FAILURE TO PROVIDE SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT IS NOT DEFECTIVE AND BY ITS FAILURE TO REPAIR SUCH DEFECTS. THE DEALER ESTIMATE TO GET THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG FUNCTIONING IS $1200. MY CAR PRESENTLY HAS ONLY 11,000 ORIGINAL MILES. NOT ONLY WAS THIS DEFECT NOT CORRECTED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT AN AUTO WITH SUCH FEW MILES HAS MALFUNCTIONING SAFETY EQUIPMENT. I BELIEVE THAT PORSCHE IS NOT LIVING UP TO FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS BY SELLING AUTOS WITH MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS AND DOES NOT PROVIDE CORRECTIVE ACTION. *NM