- Vehicles
- 312,715
- Built between
- Mar 1996 – Jun 1997
- Models
- 3
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 8 August 2003
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between March 1996 and June 1997. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1997 Chevrolet BlazerBuilt March 1996 to June 1997
- 1997 GMC JimmyBuilt March 1996 to June 1997
- 1997 Oldsmobile BravadaBuilt March 1996 to June 1997
What the defect is
Certain sport utility vehicles were built with a driver's seat belt buckle assembly that contains an energy-absorbing loop. Sustained loads of sufficient magnitude and duration on the belt in severe crashes could fully deploy the buckle energy-absorbing loop, introducing a total of 10 additional inches of webbing into the seat belt system. The free falling latch plate used in this system may allow webbing to dynamically distribute between the lap and shoulder belt as the driver's position changes during a multiple rollover event.
What could happen
If the energy-absorbing loop fully deploys in a severe multiple rollover crash, it is possible that a belted driver may experience partial or even complete ejection from the vehicle.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WITH ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2003.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtMarch 1996 to June 1997
- Recall reported to NHTSA31 March 2003
- Owners notified8 August 2003
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 31 March 2003.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- 03020
- Recalling manufacturer
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
GM recall no. 03020.CUSTOMERS can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.