The problem
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 207, "Seating systems." The backrest locking mechanism on some front seats may have been installed incorrectly.
The risk
This could cause the seat back to fold forward in a frontal crash, resulting in injury to the driver and/or front seat passenger.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the vehicle's front seats to determine if they are equipped with the improperly installed component. If either or both of the seats have this component, they will be replaced. The dealer may need to order a complete new seat or seats (including matching upholstery) and the parts may take up to two to four weeks to arrive. Saab will provide a rental car for the owner until the new seat(s) is (are) available and installed by the dealer. Owner notification is expected to begin during february 2004. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Contacts
Saab recall no. 15014. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Saab dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 03V514000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.