Seatbelt fraying

[newrangerfamily]

I have a lightly frayed seatbelt which Volvo tell me needs replacing at a ridiculous cost, hopefully you can open the attached photo. I’d be interested in your thoughts as to whether this might be an MOT failure.

[DaveNP]

Mine has been like that for a number of years (possibly slightly worse) but I've had no comment on it at MOT time. Obviously a seatbelt is a significant safety device so the Volvo dealer will be pushing to replace it. You must decide for yourself if it is acceptable.

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

Mine has been like that for a number of years (possibly slightly worse) but I've had no comment on it at MOT time. Obviously a seatbelt is a significant safety device so the Volvo dealer will be pushing to replace it. You must decide for yourself if it is acceptable.

Mine likewise, David. I think it is in instances such as this where the tester's discretion comes into play. Some may be more tolerant than others, but, as you rightly say, it is up to 'newrangerfamily' to decide if his is acceptable.

Regards, John.

[ITSv40]

The drivers seatbelt on my previous V40 frayed like that and was picked up by the tester as an advisory. Next MOT I simply used a sweater shaver to remove the 'fluff' - no advisory. I continued with that regime for the rest of the car's life , around 250,000miles. Same tester for all that time and no more advisories.

[baggy798]

Mine look worse than that. My tester at the volvo dealer is great and said they usually only fail if there's a cut to a certain depth (about a 1/8-1/4").

Your tester is a cretin and should be sacked.

[GrahamBrown1]

That’s laughable, no one would replace that! Pure money making exercise. Nothing a flash of a lighter or heat gun wouldn’t sort. Just normal wear and tear as far as I can see

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by newrangerfamily

I have a lightly frayed seatbelt which Volvo tell me needs replacing at a ridiculous cost, hopefully you can open the attached photo. I’d be interested in your thoughts as to whether this might be an MOT failure.

I doubt it. Its just a bit of fluff on the sides, normal wear.

The person that inspected that belt and said it needed replacing is a complete job's worth. It doesn't need replacing. All Volvo are trying to do is rip you off.

This is why I never go to a dealership for a service or MOT.

[DaveNP]

From Newranger family's post I took it that this wasn't the MOT tester suggesting a replacement but someone in the service department, which smells very much of 'upselling' to me, you go in for a fixed price service and the service team are under pressure to get you to spend more to justify their wages. It's not just Volvo, the KIA dealership tried similar with the wife's car at the last service, 'Your brake pads are 75% worn shall we replace them?', when we said no thanks, 75% worn equals 25% left, they piled on horror stories of poor braking and wear to the discs, when I pointed out that if the discs were worn out after 30,000 miles I would be making a warranty claim they suddenly calmed down. At the end of the day they have to pay for the showroom and the receptionist somehow.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

From Newranger family's post I took it that this wasn't the MOT tester suggesting a replacement but someone in the service department, which smells very much of 'upselling' to me, you go in for a fixed price service and the service team are under pressure to get you to spend more to justify their wages. It's not just Volvo, the KIA dealership tried similar with the wife's car at the last service, 'Your brake pads are 75% worn shall we replace them?', when we said no thanks, 75% worn equals 25% left, they piled on horror stories of poor braking and wear to the discs, when I pointed out that if the discs were worn out after 30,000 miles I would be making a warranty claim they suddenly calmed down. At the end of the day they have to pay for the showroom and the receptionist somehow.

If that happened, they probably wouldn't cover them anyway. Brakes are classed as "wear and tear".