GM Seatbelt Issue

[BobRip]

Thank you Bob I agree with your sentiments. The problem that I see with congress is not what they do for a living it is how far removed they are from what everyone else has to do to survive. How do you really understand the need for healthcare when you have free health care for the rest of your life when you have entered the legislative branch of the government. How do you understand trying to live on socal security when you get your salary for the rest of your life and you dont have to pay anything in. How do you really comprehend how hard it is on minimum wage to just survive when you are at least in the upper middle class of the nation in terms of income. I am a firm believer in term limits. That keeps someone from spending the rest of their adult life in congress and on a regular basis gives everyone an even playing field in elections. Even with all the problems that we have. I have lived overseas a couple of times and traveled overseas a lot and I still think it is better than what anyone else has.

All excellent points. Term limits would be a simple way to help. Despite this the USA is still a good place to live and I remain positive about the future. We always seem to work things out to at least an OK solution.

 

[Shimon]

I have lived overseas a couple of times and traveled overseas a lot and I still think it is better than what anyone else has.

"It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." -- Winston Churchill

I agree that we are better than most but we still need to improve those areas in which we are deficient.

 

[schmism]

the bigger question is are you going to continue to drive this make and model vehical.

Nothing is more paramount to mysafty than my seatbelt (assuming im wearing it)

THIS TIME it was a small fender bender.....

what about NEXT TIME when you find yourself (or your loved one) half through the front windsheild or worse...

 

[BillyP]

the bigger question is are you going to continue to drive this make and model vehical.

Nothing is more paramount to mysafty than my seatbelt (assuming im wearing it)

THIS TIME it was a small fender bender.....

what about NEXT TIME when you find yourself (or your loved one) half through the front windsheild or worse...

When the truck gets back from the body shop, I'll be driving it instead of the wife. When it's time to get another, it most likely won't be a GM product. I've been thinking about the full size Nissan, Toyota and Honda. I've had a few small Nissan trucks over the years and my experience, they are darn good trucks.

 

[gemini5362]

When the truck gets back from the body shop, I'll be driving it instead of the wife. When it's time to get another, it most likely won't be a GM product. I've been thinking about the full size Nissan, Toyota and Honda. I've had a few small Nissan trucks over the years and my experience, they are darn good trucks.

I have a 2006 silverado and I dont have any issues with the seat belt or worries about it. I have a 1998 chevrolet tracker and the bigger problem I have with that is if I forget to put the seat belt on before I start moving. If the car is moving it takes almost no pressure to get it to lock up. It is great if I have a wreck but if I am stupid and try to make up for it then the seat belt works too well

 

[BillyP]

I have a 2006 silverado and I dont have any issues with the seat belt or worries about it. I have a 1998 chevrolet tracker and the bigger problem I have with that is if I forget to put the seat belt on before I start moving. If the car is moving it takes almost no pressure to get it to lock up. It is great if I have a wreck but if I am stupid and try to make up for it then the seat belt works too well

We've never had any issue with a seat belt other than as you stated (latching after moving) until now. I know things don't always work every time as designed. I don't have a problem with that. My problem is they could have taken the time to at least look at it? They wanted me to have it towed to a GM dealership and leave it for them to come look at it. I say they could have went to the body shop and looked at it just as easy?

That's my only beef. If GM handles every compaint like this one, how will they ever know it is or isn't a design flaw?

 

[schmism]

That's my only beef. If GM handles every compaint like this one, how will they ever know it is or isn't a design flaw?

ah see thats exactly what they want....

Q - have you ever had any reports of seatbelt lockup failers.

A- we have had reports that there was a possiblity that seatbelts didnt lockup propertly but none were ever brought in for further investigation.

Q - and why was that

A- If the customer didnt feel it was an issue that was worth them takeing the time to bring the vehical to a dealer to have us investigate, that is certianly no fault of ours.

Q - did you offer to go look at the vehicals

A - we offered to investigate the issue if it was brought to a dealer.

Q - and if it wasnt brought to a dealer?

A - then we would have no way to investigate the issue.

Q - a safty issue as critical as seatbelt lockup isnt enough concern for you to go investigate posssible failers even if they werent brought to a dealer?

A - Ill answer your question in 2 parts as it seems to require that.
1) we wouldnt know of any seatbelt lockup issue untill we investigate them
2) but yes failers of the seatbelt to lockup would be a very serious issue we would be very intrested in.

You must understand we cant simply go around showing up at every tom-dick-and harrys house when they report a possible headlight failer, or taillight failer or any number of 1000 normal things that require maintance and or replacement.

We have a dealer system in place to deal with such issues, if the customers dont bring the vehical in, there is little we can do about it.

 

[BillyP]

ah see thats exactly what they want....

Q - have you ever had any reports of seatbelt lockup failers.

A- we have had reports that there was a possiblity that seatbelts didnt lockup propertly but none were ever brought in for further investigation.

Q - and why was that

A- If the customer didnt feel it was an issue that was worth them takeing the time to bring the vehical to a dealer to have us investigate, that is certianly no fault of ours.

Q - did you offer to go look at the vehicals

A - we offered to investigate the issue if it was brought to a dealer.

Q - and if it wasnt brought to a dealer?

A - then we would have no way to investigate the issue.

Q - a safty issue as critical as seatbelt lockup isnt enough concern for you to go investigate posssible failers even if they werent brought to a dealer?

A - Ill answer your question in 2 parts as it seems to require that.
1) we wouldnt know of any seatbelt lockup issue untill we investigate them
2) but yes failers of the seatbelt to lockup would be a very serious issue we would be very intrested in.

You must understand we cant simply go around showing up at every tom-dick-and harrys house when they report a possible headlight failer, or taillight failer or any number of 1000 normal things that require maintance and or replacement.

We have a dealer system in place to deal with such issues, if the customers dont bring the vehical in, there is little we can do about it.

Yes, I do believe you're right! But maybe, just maybe I've caused them enough paperwork to justify the cost of doing the right (in my opinion) thing in the first place...

Anyway, the truck should be ready tomorrow. With a new seat belt, I might add. His insurance (Farm Bureau) has been great to work with. My insurance (AIG) has been there every step of the way. I just didn't need them this trip.

 

[gemini5362]

I saw an episode of hows that made on Discovery channel and they were talking about seat belts. Someone on this thread talked about an explosive charge that takes up the slack in the seatbelt. That charge is fired by the same switch that fires your airbag. If the accident did not fire the airbag then I would expect the seatbelt not to take up the slack. I am not sure how far your wife would have had to travel forward to hit her thumb. I am wondering if the fact that their was not enough forward impact to fire the air bag have something to do with the seatbelt failure. Since you have a new seat belt I would take the old one to my GM dealer and have them check it out. It is a warranty Item and I would ask for it to be checked on and at the same time have them check the one on the passenger side to make sure it is operational.

 

[BillyP]

First off, there's no doubt "this" seat belt was defective. It never caught and wouldn't retract after the accident. Second, the service manager of a GM dealership (eye witness to this seat belt) was the one that suggested and gave me the phone # to call GM.