2000 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

DRIVING ALONG, MAYBE 20-30 MPH AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYS FOR NO REASON (SIDE, NOT STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG). . NO CRASH, NO IMPACT, JUST DRIVING STRAIGHT AND, BOOM! MY LEFT EAR IS RINGING AND MY LEFT ARM IS PROBABLY BRUISED. *TR

TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH 2016. THE SAAB CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CONTINUES TO TELL ME THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE AND "I SHOULD NOT WORRY BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS WITH SAAB VEHICLES." HOWEVER, I OWN OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME RECALL, AND THOSE MANUFACTURERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT.

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR I HAD TO PUSH ON THE BRAKES FAIRLY HARD. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTED AND THEN STAYED RETRACTED. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PROPER REPLACEMENT FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT AND HAVE YET TO FIND ONE FOR LESS THAN $200.00 FOR A USED ONE AND OVER $300.00 FOR A REFURBISHED ONE. GM JUST HAPPENS TO HAVE NEW ONES BUT THEY ARE ALMOST $500.00 ACCORDING TO THE REP FROM GM.THESE SEAT BELTS HAVE A CHARGING CYLINDER ON THEM THAT SETS OFF THE AIR BAG. THAT ALONE CAUSES YOU TO HAVE TO SHIP IT AS A HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.IF YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE TO SHIP IT AT A REASONABLE COST. (NOT HAPPENING)IF YOU GO WITH THE "UNIVERSAL" SEAT BELT SOLD BY SOME COMPANIES THEY DON'T EVEN WORK AND YOU ARE TOLD TO JUST CUT THE SEAT BELT TO MAKE IT FIT. KIND OF DESTROYS THE INTEGRITY OF THE SEAT BELT BY DOING THAT I WOULD THINK. I HAVE MADE TWO COMPLAINTS WITH GM ABOUT THIS AND CONSIDERING THEY HAD JUST RECALLED THE 2004-2009 SAAB'S FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I THOUGHT THEY MIGHT WORK WITH ME TO SOME EXTENT. I KNOW NOW THAT IT IS NOT THE CASE. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 3/13/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AND BECAME TIGHT AROUND THE CONTACT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT BEGAN CHOKING FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE SEAT BELT BECOMING TIGHTER. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,334.

I HAVE A 2000 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. I WAS CLEANING THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE DRIVER DOOR OPEN. I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA BETWEEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE RIGHT DOOR. I OPENED THE RIGHT DOOR TO FIND THE LIGHT FIXTURE IN THE RIGHT QUARTER PANEL HAD FALLEN OUT AND WAS BURNING THE SEAT COVER BY THE AIR BAG. THE LAMP REFLECTOR IS METAL AND BURNED THE SEAT COVER. *TR