Volvo says it hasn’t received any reports of injuries tied to possibly faulty seat belts in almost 2.1 million of its cars, and also that the issue in question is “very rare,” but it’s issuing a recall anyway. The integrity of Volvo seat belts must never be questioned.
The company said it will contact owners of the cars that need fixing, which include cars built from 2006 until 2019, including S60, S60L, S60 Cross Country, V60, V60 Cross Country, XC60, V70, XC70, S80, and S80L. It does not include cars from model year 2020.
This is Volvo’s biggest recall ever, and since it’s to fix seat belts, very on brand for the inventor of the three-point seat belt.
The company discovered at some point that a steel cable connected to the front seat belts can be compromised.
From the Associated Press:
The front seat belts are anchored to the car via this steel cable, press spokesman Stefan Elfstrom told Swedish public radio. “We have seen that this wire can be subject to wear and tear under special conditions,” reducing the seat belt’s protection, he said, adding “this is a very rare problem.”
Volvo said the recall, which is the biggest ever for the brand, “is a preventive safety recall to avoid future issues.”
Volvo told Reuters that it wouldn’t be commenting on the cost of the recall, though this almost feels like a marketing exercise. There have been, I repeat, no injuries or accidents linked to this issue that Volvo is aware of, but I appreciate Volvo’s commitment to safety.