Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Blazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle was hit from behind and the driver and passenger seatbelt shoulder straps failed causing injuries. A police report was filed at the scene. Although the manufacturer was alerted no repairs were made.
Lack of assistance in remedying defects of record. Soon after the notification about upper and lower ball joints on the 97 Chevy blazers (my SUV originated in delaware, I called the local dealership and they blew me off and wouldn't fix the problem. I had to have one replaced at my expense. Now I get the same thing about the windshield wiper motor. My wipers are now intermittent. They will stop going down the road. They restart when they feel like it. Most of the time they work perfectly. It is the unexpected stop that is scary. I have also received a notice on the driver seat belt. Just who am I suppose to call. Lindsay sure doesn't want to remedy the situations.
While driving at approximately 35 MPH the vehicle was involved in a front-end collision. The seat belt did not restrain the driver and the air bags failed to deploy causing the driver's stomach to hit the steering wheel and her head to hit the interior of the vehicle. The consumer learned there was a recall regarding the seat belts. (03V117000)
Consumer was driving at approximately 25 MPH, hit panel of a truck with front end of vehicle, driver's seatbelt unlatched itself unexpectedly. Dual airbags did not deploy, causing head injuries and large bruises. Consumers vehicle also hit a metal traffic light pole that.
Vehicle was involved in a head on crash, traveling at 20-25, there was no deployment of the frontal air bags. The seat belts did not restrain the driver or passegner , causing both occupants to hit the windshield. Please provide any furhter information.
Dt*: the contact stated the rear passenger seat belt did not latch properly. The contact was not able to fully insert the seat belt into the buckle, and the buckle did not stay latched at all. The vehicle was not seen by a dealer.
Received recall 03V117000 notic econcerning seat belt buckle. A seat belt buckle defect occurred, and consumer sustained serious injuries because was thrown from the vehicle prior to receiving the recall notification.
The seat belt is defective and does not meet the minimum requirements of FMVSS 209, in essence a portion of the seat belt is folded over and stiched to itself, when a load is placed upon the seat blet, the stiching rips out, in this case, since the rip stiching was placed in the stalk below the buckle and above the floor, an ectra 16 inches of seat belt was provided to the occupant, and the driver had 8 extra inches on the lap and 8 extra inches on the shoulder belts, the lap belt is not kept on the pelvis under all consitions.(attorney on behalf of client, who is deceased)
Dt: the consumer owns a 1997 Chevy Blazer. The consumer stated that a recall was made on his vehicle for the front driver's side seat belt assembly. When the recall was fixed a shorter seat belt was put in the vehicle. Now consumer is having the same problem with his passenger side seat belt assembly and feels that all the seat belts in this vehicle needs to be replaced because they are defective. The recall number is 03V117000. GM recall number is 03020. This is the third seat belt that has been installed on the driver's side.
I am having a lot of problems with my 97 Chevrolet Blazer. The seat belt buckles in the back seat only work part of the time. The gas gauge does not work. I fill up and it registers on empty after 2 miles. The electrical system seems to be malfunctioning. As I drive, interior lights flash on & off or the outside lights dim when driving at night. The leather seat is ripping on the driver's side and I weigh 120 pounds, so you would think it would be sturdier than that. What else can go wrong???
Related recalls
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
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…
Remedy: 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.
Seat belts
Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-door utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat can separate during a frontal impact.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
NHTSA investigations
Seat belt webbing separation
NHTSA's new car assessment program (ncap) tested a 1997 Chevrolet s-10 extended cab pickup equipped with a driver-side air bag.the front passenger seat belt was completely cut during the test.
Seat Belt complaints in other Blazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the seat belts of the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer, 3% of the model year's 768 complaints. The component named most often is front › buckle assembly (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Blazer seat belt problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-117 (buckle assembly, Mar 31, 2003); NHTSA recall 97V096001 (seat belts, Jun 12, 1997). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Blazer seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 14 injuries and 3 deaths to seat belts problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.