1997 Oldsmobile Bravada

97 OLDS BRAVADA RETRACTABLE SEAT BELTS HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY, NOW DO NOT WORK ON EITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE. SEATBELTS DO NOT "CATCH" DURING COLLISION AND JUST KEEP PULLING OUT OF HOUSING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NUMEROUS DEALERSHIPS THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, WHICH PROBABLY ALSO INCLUDE CHEVY BLAZERS AND GMC JIMMY'S. GM DID A RECALL IN '04 WHICH I WAS PROMISED WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT IN A RECENT INCIDENT, MY SEATBELT DID NOT "CATCH" AND I HIT MY CHIN ON THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER HAS VERIFIED THAT BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE NONFUNCTIONAL. THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE EASILY RECOGNIZED UNTIL THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. HOW MANY BRAVADA, BLAZER, AND JIMMY OWNERS ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH THEIR SEATBELTS BUCKLED, NOT KNOWING THAT THEY DO NOT WORK AND WILL NOT PROTECT THEM IN A CRASH? HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAS NHTSA GOTTEN, WRONGLY ASSUMING THOSE WERE REPAIRED BY THE RECALL? *NM

FAULTY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V-117000 RELATED TO A FAULTY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED BUT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER RETURNED AT A LATER DATE TO HAVE IT DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING FINE WHEN IT WAS DROPPED OFF. WHEN DEPARTING THE FACILITY AFTER REPAIR, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPEN OR LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. THE SERVICE REP WAS CONTACTED AND REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE RETURNED TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOT THE DEALERS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WOULD BE BILLED FOR ANY REPAIRS MADE. *NLM