Volvo to recall 79,000 cars over seatbelt issue

Volvo is recalling 74,000 cars in the USA and Canada, over concerns about a fault in the seatbelt mechanism of some of its models.

The affected models are the Volvo S60, Volvo V60 and their associated variants, Volvo XC60, Volvo S90 and Volvo XC90. No UK cars are affected.

The recall is being implemented due to the possibility that the front passenger seatbelt buckle may not be punched, which, according to Volvo, “may result in a separation between the buckle and the seatbelt bracket. If this were to occur, it could increase the risk of injury to a front passenger seat occupant in a crash”. No incidents have yet been recorded as a result of the possible fault.

Read our review of the Volvo XC90 here

Volvo, which invented the three-point seatbelt in 1959, and left the patent open to other manufacturers to use, is calling the recall “due to insufficient process and quality control at the supplier”. The part in question is not known to be faulty, but the recall is being implemented as a precaution, in case the part is indeed faulty.

According to Volvo, UK cars are not being recalled as the “supplier process applies only to US-spec vehicles.” Volvo is looking into how long the maintenance will take to complete, and does not yet know when all affected cars will be altered. 

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