VW and Seat are still selling thousands of cars despite knowing they have a potentially DEADLY fault

THE Volkswagen Group is continuing to recklessly sell potentially lethal cars, which have already been exposed for having seat belt faults.

Earlier this year, Finnish magazine Tekniikan Maailma found that the back-left seat belt could unbuckle if the middle seat belt is also being used.

Consumer advice group Which? released a report today revealing that 35,263 VW Polos and 28,639 Seat Ibiza and Arona models are affected in the UK.

Around 12,000 Polos were recalled in May, but the VW Group are yet to fix the problem despite continuing sale of the faulty cars.

The Polo was the third best-selling car in the UK last month.

The only precaution for new owners of these models is a plan to hand out warning stickers to be put on the dashboard.

These will inform passengers not to use the middle rear seat until a better fix is found for the fault.

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: “It’s shocking that VW and Seat are selling thousands of cars that they know have a serious safety issue, but don’t yet have a proper fix for.

“Volkswagen Group should not be selling these potentially dangerous vehicles at all.

“Supplying a warning sticker is a shockingly inadequate response to fault which is putting lives at risk.

“It’s another example of how the current car recall system is failing to protect people.

“The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) must be given the powers it needs to hold manufacturers to account.”

A VW Group spokesperson said: “We have asked retailers to ensure that all prospective purchasers of affected new or used vehicles are made aware of the current guidance not to use the middle rear seat.

“A warning sticker will be sent to customers in due course.

“They should attach it to their dash panel so that all other vehicle users are informed at all times that the rear middle seat position must not be occupied until the permanent measure has been applied.”