Volvo recalls 170,000 UK cars due to ‘extremely rare’ seatbelt fault

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Volvo recalls 170,000 UK cars due to ‘extremely rare’ seatbelt fault

By Rob Hull For Thisismoney.co.uk

Published: | Updated:

 Volvo Cars has confirmed it is recalling 2.2 million vehicles worldwide due to an ‘extremely rare’ seatbelt safety issue, which impacts almost 170,000 UK cars.

The recall is the Swedish brand’s biggest ever, and applies to passengers cars built between 2006 and 2018.

Affected models include the S60, S60 Cross Country, V60, V60 Cross Country, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80.

 

A total of 169,491 cars in the UK are said to be affected, according to Volvo’s records.

In a statement released on Wednesday, it said that investigations have identified a problem regarding the front seat belt fastening, mounted on the outer side of the front seat. 

‘The front seat belt fastening cable may over time suffer from reduced strength under certain circumstances,’ it explained.

Damage to the cable, which is located in a rubber sleeve on the outside of the seat, could result in ‘reduced seat belt restrain function’.

Volvo said instances of the fault manifesting are ‘extremely rare’ and the safety recall has been issued as a ‘precautionary’ measure.

Stefan Elfstrom, a spokesman for the car brand, told Swedish public radio this morning: ‘We have seen that this wire can be subject to wear and tear under special conditions,’ reducing the seat belt’s protection, he said, adding ‘this is a very rare problem’.

There have been no reports of injuries or accidents linked to the fault.

The manufacturer’s statement added: ‘We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers, and are grateful for their cooperation as we look to perform this precautionary action.’ 

Volvo Cars UK says that if you own one of the affected vehicles, until it has been repaired, it recommends ‘the driver and passenger ensure that the seat belt fastening is in a vertical position, aligned with the backrest, so that it will not be bent over the seat cushion when entering the seat’. 

‘This will reduce the risk of damage of the seat belt fastening,’ it said.

Owners are being informed of the recall from today, and Volvo says it hopes to fix all 169,491 cars by the end of the year at no cost to owners.

Owners can check if their car is impacted by going to the Volvo Cars UK website or can call a dedicated team dealing with the issue on 01628 422522.

No currently produced Volvo cars are affected, it says. 

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