Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1994 Saturn SL1 with 38,000 miles. I recently needed the passenger lap belt replaced due to faulty stitching near the buckle. The dealer charged me for this repair. I was under the impression that seat belts were covered by the Federal Government under a five-year/50,000-mile safety warranty. Am I misinformed? -- Barbara

Tom: Somewhat. When there is a bona fide "safety defect," one that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recognized with the issuance of a recall, then the manufacturer is obligated to fix the item for free for up to eight years.

Ray: The problem is that NHTSA has never declared Saturn safety belts defective. And as of right now, there are not even any official complaints on the books about defective seat-belt stitching on your car, Barbara.

Tom: So there are several possibilities. One is that the seat belts are, in fact, defective, and you're the first one to complain. In which case, you should be sure to register a complaint with NHTSA. You can do that by calling (800) 424- 9393, or you can do it online through our Web site, the Car Talk section of cars.com (go to the "Got a Car" section).

Ray: If NHTSA gets enough complaints about the same safety problem, it'll open an investigation, which could lead to a recall.

Tom: Another possibility is that this was simply a one-time manufacturing defect. Maybe the robot that stitched the seat belt was running on Windows 98 and froze up while it was finishing your particular belt. In that case, the manufacturer's warranty applies, and Saturn or your dealer would decide whether to charge you or not.

Ray: The final possibility is that there is no defect, and that you were in some way responsible for the damage to the belt. Maybe your dog chewed on it to get to the remainder of some spilled cream cheese, or maybe that Black Sabbath bellybutton ring your husband wears is rubbing against it and causing the belt to fray? In that case, the dealer was correct to charge you.

Tom: So if you believe it was a manufacturing defect, then by all means let NHTSA know. But whatever the cause, you did the right thing by having it fixed right away and not taking any chances with your own safety, or that of your passengers.

Changing your oil regularly is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your car, but how often should you change it? Find out by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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