Volvo is a famous brand for a few reasons, but one has to do with how seriously Volvo takes safety. Volvos are well-known for being safe cars. Unfortunately, mistakes can still happen, and that’s why Volvo is recalling almost 20,000 vehicles. Here’s a look at the seat belt issue that caused Volvo to recall nearly 20,000 cars from the 2021 and 2022 model years.

A look at this seat belt problem

Fortunately, this seat belt problem doesn’t seem to be too serious. According to Consumer Reports, there have been no documented accidents, injuries, or deaths related to this seat belt problem. This is because this seat belt issue has to do with the ALR, or automatic locking retractor. Its job is to lock the seat belts so car seats can be installed easily.

Like Consumer Reports explained, if you’ve ever pulled on your seatbelt and heard it make a noise and stop moving, then that’s the ALR at work. But, in those roughly 20,000 Volvos, the ALR is not working correctly. It may make it difficult for parents to install some child car seats. If the car seat isn’t installed correctly, then that’s where tragedy can happen. 

Again, no accidents like that have happened yet, and that’s why it’s still important to pay attention to this recall. Parents driving in an affected car should pay close attention when they’re installing a car seat. That said, the good news is that Volvo already has a fix lined up.

Which Volvos are affected and what Volvo is doing about it

Consumer Reports wrote that a total of 19,149 Volvos are a part of this recall. They are all from very recent model years. Most of them are from 2021, and a few are from 2022. The affected Volvos are the 2021 XC40 and XC40 Recharge, 2021 and 2022 V60, 2021 V60 CC, 2021 and 2022 XC60, 2021 and 2022 S60, 2021 V90 and V90 CC, and 2021 XC90. 

The fix for this seat belt problem is simple. According to Consumer Reports, Volvo plans to contact every affected owner by mail by October 31st. Affected owners can take their Volvo to a Volvo dealership, and the dealer will inspect the passenger seats in the car and replace the seat belts. Of course, they will do all of that for free. 

Affected customers can contact Volvo by calling 800-458-1552. On top of that, folks can get more info from the NHTSA. According to the NHTSA, owners can contact the NHTSA by calling 1-888-327-4236 or 1-800-424-9153 for folks who use teletype. Furthermore, folks can go on the NHTSA’s website and enter their car’s VIN to look up any other active recalls on their vehicle.

Volvo’s not alone on this

While this is the latest issue that Volvo is solving, Volvo isn’t the only automaker affected by this problem. That’s because Volvo’s seat belts came from a supplier named Autoliv. Other automakers who use those seat belts have also issued a similar recall.

For example, Porsche and Audi recalled about 45,000 cars due to this issue. Fortunately, just like Volvo, there have been no reported incidents involving these faulty seat belts yet. Similarly, Jaguar and Land Rover also use Autoliv seat belts, and many of them have been recalled as well. 37,000 Jaguars and Land Rovers were recalled as a result of that issue. Other automakers that have been affected by this problem include Ford and Nissan.