GM recalling over 484,000 Cadillac, Chevy, GMC vehicles to fix seat belt issue
Atmosphere during "Chrome Couture" Celebrates Luxury with the 2007 Cadillac Escalade - World Premiere at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage)
General Motors is recalling more than 484,000 vehicles to fix an issue with their third-row seat belts.
"In certain of these vehicles, the rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seatbelt buckle assembly may not have been properly formed during the manufacturing process," the automaker wrote in its recall notice posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website. "If the third-row seatbelt assembly is not properly riveted, it may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury."
The recall covers 41,636 Cadillac Escalades; 25,158 Cadillac Escalade ESVs; 84,338 Chevrolet Suburbans; 176,981 Chevrolet Tahoes; 97,436 GMC Yukons; and 58,606 GMC Yukon XL vehicles equipped with third row-seating.
The affected vehicles, which are in the 2021 and 2022 model years, were produced between Nov. 12, 2019, and May 27, 2022.
CAPRI SUN FLAVOR RECALLED FOR POSSIBLY CONTAINING ‘CLEANING SOLUTION’
On May 14, a GM dealership received a customer report of a third-row seat belt buckle assembly that separated in a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The issue was submitted to the company's Speak Up For Safety program on May 18 and a formal investigation was opened on May 31. A field analysis identified seven additional reports potentially related to the issue.
GM's investigation determined that operators at the seat belt buckle assembly supplier’s manufacturing plant may have not properly followed manufacturing processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation.
Containment efforts were initiated at the plant on May 25 and GM revised its manufacturing process to add an optical scan confirmation of the rivet head formation on July 1. GM's investigator visited the plant on July 11 to determine the scope of the potentially affected parts and the company's Safety Field Action Decision Authority decided to conduct a safety recall on Aug. 4.
GM is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Dealers will inspect the rivet head formation on both the left and right side third-row seat belt buckle assemblies and replace seat belt buckle assemblies, as necessary, free of charge.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed starting Sept. 26.
Read more of this story on FOX Business.