Mercedes-Benz will be contacting the owners of certain 2016-2017 Mercedes Benz S63 AMG, S65 AMG and S550 coupe/convertible vehicles because the seat belt extender may not retract as intended. According to the defect report, the control unit for a specific production range was not properly coded to account for friction conditions during activation of the extender. In the event of a crash, the extended seat belt extender could break, minimizing the full protection of the seat belt and may create edges that could inflict additional injuries.

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the control unit software. The recall is expected to begin in mid-December 2016. Owners wanting more information about the problem are asked to contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 16V-829.

Volvo will be contacting the owners of certain 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles regarding a problem affecting the front passenger seat belt. According to the defect report, the seat belt buckle was not punched correctly and could separate from the bracket. If the seat belt separates, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash,

Dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud and place it as necessary. For more information about the problem, owners are asked to contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo’s number for this recall is R89708 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-798.

General Motors will be contacting certain 2016 Cadillac CT6 owners about a safety problem that could exist in their vehicles. According to the defect report, the bolts that secure the front passenger seat belt webbing to the seat anchor plate may be missing. The webbing could detach from the seat anchor and may not effectively restrain the passenger during a crash.

Dealers will replace the existing front passenger seat belt webbing anchor bolt, or if the bolt is missing, install a new one. Owners can contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 for more information. GM’s number for this recall is 16035 and the NHTSA campaign number is 16V-687. (Note: Owners are advised to not carry passengers in the front passenger seat until the problem has been fixed.)

Certain 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivans, equipped with center third row seats or an optional three passenger second row seat, could experience a malfunction of the seat belt system. According to the defect report, the overhead seatbelt bezels could break and trap the seatbelt in the stowed position. Unbelted occupants could suffer additional injuries and/or become a projectile during a crash. Continue reading

General Motors have announced a safety defect relating to seat belts exists in certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and 2014-2015 GMC Sierra 1500 trucks. According to reports, in certain vehicles and seating positions, the seat-belt tensioner could move into a position forward of the seat back bolster. This allows the occupant to sit on top of it in a sliding motion while entering the vehicle. This action can bend the cable at a severe angle over the seat-side shield, and over time may cause the cable to fatigue. During an accident, the fatigued tensioner cable could separate, increasing the risk of injury to the driver. Continue reading

Tesla will be asking the owners of certain 2012-2015 Model S vehicles to return to their dealerships to repair a problem affecting the seat belt restraint system. According to reports filed with the NHTSA, the driver and/or front passenger seat belt anchor plate may have be improperly connected to the outboard lap pretensioner. If the seat belt anchor plate is not properly secured, the seat belt will not provide sufficient restraint force during an accident. Continue reading

General Motors have decided that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in certain 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles and will be asking approximately 437,045 owners to return to their dealerships for repairs. According to the defect report, the flexible steel cable attaching the seat belt to the vehicle could wear and separate over time. Occupants will not be properly restrained, increasing their risk of injury during a crash. Signs that the problem exists include tears, holes, or wear marks on the covering of the cable. 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