GM Seatbelt Problems Lead to Recall of 243K Crossover SUVs

General Motors is recalling nearly a quarter million crossover sports utilities due to problems with seatbelts that might fail to latch properly. 

The GM seatbelt recall was announced on Tuesday and affects 2009-2010 models of the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. Most of the 243,403 vehicles are in the United States, but the recall also includes thousands of crossovers sent to Canada, Mexico, China and Saudi Arabia, among other countries.

According to a GM press release, the problem is with the second-row safety belts. The buckles do not move correctly when the seats are laid flat and then returned to the upright position. When the buckle comes into contact with the seat frame they could become damaged. Eventually, the buckle may fail to latch and unlatch properly and appear to be jammed. It may also appear to latch even though the seatbelt is not actually properly latched into place, leading to injuries in an auto accident if the seatbelt fails.

GM’s announcement said that the company discovered the problem when they inspected damaged safety belts in warranty return vehicles. There have been no reports of the seatbelts failing in an auto accident, according to GM.

The auto maker will begin notifying owners of vehicles affected by the GM crossover recall this month. They will be able to take their vehicles to dealers who will inspect the seatbelt and replace it if necessary, as well as reshape the side trim to allow the seats to fold without damaging the seatbelts.

This is the third major GM recall this year. In March, GM recalled 1.3 million Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac vehicles after federal investigators received reports of the power steering suddenly failing. In June the company issued a recall for 1.5 million cars and trucks due to a defective heated windshield washer system that has caused at least five fires.