Volvo to recall 170,000 cars over ‘rare’ seatbelt fault warning
HUNDREDS of thousands of Volvo customers are being urged to check if their vehicle needs repairing after a seatbelt fault has been discovered.
The Swedish car manufacturer has recalled 169,481 vehicles made between 2006 and 2018 over fears seatbelts may not work properly.
The problem affects eight different Volvo models and relates to a flexible steel cable covered by a rubber sleeve that's connected to the front seat belt.
Volvo says wear and tear to the cable could result in reduced seat belt restraint function in "extreme cases".
But it stresses that the issue is "extremely rare" and that it's received no reports in the UK or globally of accidents or injury caused by the defect.
As a precaution it's issued a recall, which will see all affected vehicles repaired free of charge - see the box below for the full list.
Which Volvo models have been recalled?
HERE'S a list of the eight Volvo models that have been recalled alongside the model year and production dates.
- Model: S80. Model year: 2007 to 2016. Production dates: February 7, 2006/ April 8, 2016
- Model: S60. Model year: 2011 to 2018. Production dates: May 21, 2010/ August 14, 2018
- Model: V70: Model year: 2008 to 2016. Production dates: March 14, 2007/ April 27, 2016
- Model: XC70. Model year: 2008 to 2016. Production dates: May 9, 2007/ May 30, 2016
- Model: S60 Cross Country. Model year: 2016 to 2018. Production dates: April 13, 2015/ May 30, 2018
- Model: V60. Model year: 2011 to 2018. Production dates: June 22, 2010/ August 27, 2018
- Model: XC60. Model year: 2009 to 2016. Production dates: March 18, 2008/ April 22, 2016
- Model: V60 Cross Country. Model year: 2015 to 2018. Production dates: December 4, 2014/ August 21, 2018.
Volvo says it will contact owners of affected cars to inform them of the issue, and to tell them to contact their Volvo retailer to book an appointment to have their car repaired.
Repairs are expected to take place quickly and Volvo says vehicles can continue to be driven while you wait for your appointment.
But if you can't get an appointment at your garage for a while due to a Covid-19 back-up or other delay, it's worth checking if your garage will visually inspect the seatbelt to confirm it's safe in the meantime.
Volvo says an indication of an issue is damage to the rubber sleeve.
If the fix takes longer than expected and you need a company car in the meantime you should ask the garage to recoup these costs from Volvo.
You may also be covered by your car insurance although this could invalidate any no-claims discount you have and you may have to stump up an excess too.
Plus, Volvo says it will fix the problem and cover the cost of the work.
The manufacturer adds that affected models are all older generation with no currently produced cars impacted.
A Volvo spokesperson said: "We do not compromise on safety, and always take full responsibility to ensure the highest quality and safety standards of our cars.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers, and are grateful for their cooperation as we look to perform this precautionary action."
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It's not the first time Volvo has had to issue a mass recall. In June 2019 it recalled nearly 70,000 cars in Britain after a fire risk related to engine problems.
Meanwhile in January 2019 it recalled around 31,000 UK cars over fears fuel pipes could crack and leak.
See The Sun's recalls page for the latest items recalled by manufacturers and retailers.