VOLVO Recall 2020 (seat belts)

[october37]

I have trouble releasing the drivers seat belt, but my Main dealer in Carlisle said it would be Autumn before they were going to be able get round to fixing this under warranty, even though I have just had the car serviced there.

2010 XC70 P2 D5 205 Geartronic

[TeamG]

I drive two Volvos. Both are affected.

[Sotosound]

Originally Posted by TeamG

I drive two Volvos.

Simultaneously?

[TeamG]

No, one or the other usually depending on dirt or smells.

XC60 when everything is clean (or wife in the car), V70 for dog transport, tip runs, building material, picking up chinese takeaway, taking kids to sports.

Seatbelts are equally important in both.

Now if I book both in to Volvo together, do I get to try two courtesy cars? Do the cars have to match my current ones? I’d like to try the new XC60 and I’d accept a skip hire in lieu of the V70.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by TeamG

No, one or the other usually depending on dirt or smells.

XC60 when everything is clean (or wife in the car), V70 for dog transport, tip runs, building material, picking up chinese takeaway, taking kids to sports.

Seatbelts are equally important in both.

Now if I book both in to Volvo together, do I get to try two courtesy cars? Do the cars have to match my current ones? I’d like to try the new XC60 and I’d accept a skip hire in lieu of the V70.

I don't think you need to worry about a courtesy car, or cars for a while. According to a post earlier in this thread by Tatsfield, Volvo will contact you themselves with regards to the recall arrangements. There's no point phoning up.

[40t]

I've been told by the dealer that it's now likely to be November - seems the recall was announced prematurely - just for a laugh, perhaps, leaving people to drive around for a few months wondering whether their seat belts are OK.

[AlexV70Drive1]

My 61 plate is affected and the Watford Volvo told me over the phone that they won’t be rolling out the fix until December, the lady on the phone told me that the parts are being made now and out of about 169,000 cars they’ve only found 1 affected.

It’s fraying in the metal that connects the buckle to the anchor point and happens from the buckle moving around causing stress to the metal cable so I’m guessing it might have something to do with where the seats are adjusted differently for different positions and taller/shorter people and allows the buckle to show more in certain seat positions but I can’t be sure of that as I haven’t actually looked at mine to see if that might affect it. That makes some sense to me if not anyone else 😂

She said it’s nothing to worry about and they will be in contact via a letter with more details. All I know for sure is sometimes drivers side unbuckles itself and has to be pushed back in but this only seems to happen when I first put it on and not when I’m driving. I have given it a good tug to be relatively sure it won’t pop out in a crash but I’m not giving it crash forces so who knows. It does seem ok once’s it’s fully in though. Hopefully the whole buckle is changed under the recall

[Ant B]

Originally Posted by AlexV70Drive1

My 61 plate is affected and the Watford Volvo told me over the phone that they won’t be rolling out the fix until December, the lady on the phone told me that the parts are being made now and out of about 169,000 cars they’ve only found 1 affected.

I got the letter from Volvo about this last week; mine (late 2011 V70) is affected, I've been advised to contact my local Volvo dealer and book in from December onwards.

Originally Posted by AlexV70Drive1

It’s fraying in the metal that connects the buckle to the anchor point and happens from the buckle moving around causing stress to the metal cable

Basically, yep that's it! I've attached scans of the letter from Volvo that give more info (and some photos of Volvo's recommended interim fix, which is to fasten seatbelts with the fastener positioned vertically)...

[TeamG]

Got one of my letters today. It was the one for the car I sold on Saturday, not the one I kept so I suspect that letter will be along soon.

[Tatsfield]

I too got the recall letter which instructed me to phone my local dealer, phone number supplied, and immediately book an appointment for December. So I did and the dealer moaned and said that Volvo had yet to actually produce an uprated part for the recall refit and they had been told that Volvo hoped that they might have the parts by December but could not guarantee the date. They were very polite and assured me that they had all the details of my car and my contact information and would contact me when they could carry out the work, for which I am sure they get paid and are keen to do.

I suspect the reason for the letter from Volvo was to impart the message covered by the illustrations on the back page which they hope will mitigate the fault until they get around to fixing it and so go towards limiting their liability should something happen in the interim. What it is actually doing is to drive their dealers mad with phone calls from nervous owners!