A seat belt safety problem will have approximately 177,000, 2014-2019 Outlander and 2018-2019 Outlander PHEV owners returning to their dealerships for repairs. This recall is expected to begin in September.

According to the defect report, the seat belt buckle cover on the second row seat can become damaged when folding the left hand side seat back. If this happens the latch may become inoperative and may not be able to engage the seat belt tongue. Occupants sitting in this position will be unprotected.

Mitsubishi dealers will correct the problem by modifying the second row center seat belt buckle cover. They will install a new warning label to the second-row seat support base and provide a new warning label insert for the owner’s manual. Mitsubishi’s number for this recall is SR-20-004 and the NHTSA campaign number is 20V-403.

Ford will be contacting the owners of certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ vehicles regarding a problem that could cause the front seat belt anchor cable to fail. According to the defect report, the strength of the cable can be degraded due to internal pretensioner temperatures created during deployment. If the driver or front passenger seatbelt cables cannot properly restrain occupants, they would be at an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Owners will be notified of the safety issue beginning on January 20, 2017, and a second notice will be mailed when parts become available. For more information about the problem, owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 16S42 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-875.

Volvo have announced a safety defect affecting the airbags in a small number of 2016 Volvo XC90 luxury crossover SUV’s. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the electrical wiring for the front seat Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) may have been assembled incorrectly, increasing the risk of damage to the wiring insulation. If this happens, the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) warning light will illuminate and the vehicle diagnostic system will alert the driver with a “SRS Airbag Service Urgent, Drive to workshop” warning. Continue reading

BMW will be asking a small number of car and SUV owners to return to a BMW dealer for several problems that could affect the safety of their vehicles. These defects include:

2015 X3 & 2015 X4: These vehicles were produced with a driver’s side exterior rear view mirror that does not meet the U.S. market requirements. Objects viewed in the mirror will appear closer than they are, increasing the risk of a crash during lane changes. (NHTSA campaign number: 14V648.) Continue reading

A part dimension error in the seat belts of certain 2014-2015 Acura MDX and 2014 Acura RLX vehicles will have approximately 43,000 owners returning to their dealership to have the defect repaired. According to reports, the relationship between the tolerances within the seat belt re-tractor versus low temperatures could affect the operation of the belts. The driver and front passenger seat belts may not extend or retract in low temperatures, increasing the risk of injury during an accident. Continue reading