Date: Fri, 7 Jul 2000 20:31:16 -0500 From: "Morgan Bullard" <mjbullardnopsamaone.net> Subject: Re: PennyPinching - Unsafe Saab 9-5SE
You could always try talking to GM, their parent company now. Specifily the legal department. Point out the potential liablity, US lawyers are paranoid about lawsuits. Also point out, that all cars sold in North America have the warning light on both sides. "Peter Wilkins" <wilkinspnopsamnet.au> wrote in message news:5o0bmskh9702ruc7o2735gvvgs9pkrjon9nopsamcom... > On Thu, 06 Jul 2000 01:01:50 +1000, Peter Wilkins > <wilkinspnopsamnet.au> wrote : > > snip > >I duly reported the fault to my Saab dealer, who said the safety belt > >alarm was not fitted for the front passenger!!!!!!!!! > >I re-checked my handbook. Quite clearly, it is supposed to be. > >I looked at the passenger seat. No, it's not fitted, and there is no > >provision whatsoever for me to add it! > snip > >And what do you other Saab users think of this misrepresentation by > >Saab? > > Very interesting. All the emails and posts I have received in reply > to that post (bar one) have abused me and said it is my responsibility > to check the belts are worn, not Saab's. > > Of course it is my responsibility! But I expect to be able to rely on > the aids supposedly provided by Saab as stated in the handbook! > Is that too much to ask? > > According to my critics it is OK for Saab to remove the alarm without > notification to purchasers, while still saying in the handbook the > alarm is there, and I am stupid, lazy and a "nut behind the wheel" for > daring to criticise! I know Saab loyalty is fanatical, but that is > just too much! Get real, chaps! > > I did contact Saab Australia on this problem, and they did reply > promptly. This is what they said, with my comments in brackets: > > "Thank you for contacting Saab Automboile with your concern. > Please note that the Owner's Manual states that "the 'fasten belts' > reminder will light up until the driver or front-seat passenger are > wearing their belts". Therefore, this light will automatically turn > off when either the passenger or the driver does up their seat belt." > > (Wrong - the alarm is not connected to the passenger seat) > > "If the seat belt reminder was not designed in this manner, it would > mean that in the cases where the driver was not carrying a passenger > the light would be on all of the time. This in itself would be very > distracting and unsafe." > > (???? Seem to be saying now the alarm is NOT connected to the > passenger seat for safety reasons (!) although saying it was in para > 1. And they seem to have conveniently forgotten about the load sensor > that used to be fitted to turn off the alarm when the passenger seat > was unoccupied) > > "While the warning light is a reminder for all occupants to do up > their seat belts, it is still the ultimate responsibility of the > driver and passengers to carry out this action. Be assured that the > Saab 9-5 is one of the safest cars in the world and is a complete > package of safety devices and functions based on long-term research > and real life driving safety." > > (Using that argument, if it is the drivers responsibility, why provide > the alarm at all? Deleting the alarm for the driver as well as for > the passenger would save even more money!) > > And finally, it seems that the alarm is fitted to the passenger seat > everywhere except in Australia. What is different in Australia? > Perhaps it's just that, unlike my critics, Saab thinks we here in Oz > are smart enough not to need the alarm ..... > -- > Regards, > Peter Wilkins (wilkinspnopsamnet.au)
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