Auburn Hills, Mich. – July 3, 2018 – Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 54,000 vehicles potentially equipped with defective seat belts, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2018 Volkswagen Atlas sport utility vehicles produced between Nov. 17, 21016, and June 5, 2018. The German automaker suspects all of the vehicles referenced in the recall contain the defective components.
The Defect
Affected vehicles contain second-row, bench-seat buckles that may release unexpectedly following prolonged contact with child safety seats and resulting damage. This defect poses a serious safety hazard to passengers. However, Volkswagen has yet to receive reports connecting the problematic parts to any accidents or injuries.
Timeline of Events
A Volkswagen employee in May 2017 spotted a vehicle with damaged second-row seat belt buckles. Initially, the automaker treated this as an isolated incident. However, throughout September and October 2017, Volkswagen received multiple field reports referencing vehicles with damaged second-row seat belt buckles. This prompted the car manufacturers to launch internal tests to discover the root cause. Engineers equipped test vehicles with various child safety harnesses and were able to replicate the damage outlined in the field reports.
On April 18, 2018, members of the Volkswagen Pre-Product Safety Committee reviewed the matter and requested more information. The Product Safety Committee then evaluated the potential issue May 30, 2018, and determined that the defect posed a serious hazard to passengers and therefore warranted a voluntary safety recall.
The Solution
Volkswagen will direct dealers to inspect the recalled vehicles and install replacement buckles if necessary, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgment document. The automaker will also distribute new owners manuals detailing modified child safety seat installation procedures. Volkswagen intends to notify dealers Aug. 2, 2018, and reach out to owners via first-class mail Aug. 3, 2018. Owners in need of more immediate assistance can contact Volkswagen customer service personnel at (800) 893-5298. Callers should use the internal recall campaign reference code 69X1. Owners can also connect with the NHTSA directly using the agency’s toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.
