Recall - rear seat belt

[Pololass]

I've had the same letter and I've only had the car 6 weeks so assumed the seatbelt issue would have been fixed before I took delivery. The recall website says there are no outstanding recalls for my car but the letter says otherwise! Wonder if they've still got my Golf?........

[Robint]

I’ve had my polo GTI 4 weeks now no letter and it’s showing no recall.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JohnF]

Has anyone tried to get the recall web site to indicate a recall is required, by using their VN number?

[Pololass]

Yes, just tried it and got the 'good news, no safety recall required for your vehicle'

[Leif]

Had mine done a week ago, collected the car over three months ago.

[monkeyhanger]

Yes, just tried it and got the 'good news, no safety recall required for your vehicle'

Are you sure you won't get a fix later because you only have the interim fix now?

Perhaps VW haven't instigated a recall because they can just about get away with it with the regulatory bodies, but will fix later?

I'm unsure if my Polo, received last Wednesday has a completely trouble-free, redesigned pair of rear seatbelt clasps. I've heard nothing from VW or the dealership on the matter.

[Leif]

Mine was a recall, but they waited until they had the car in for something else.

[RUM4MO]

I suppose it will be obvious when you look at your new car as the anchor clips should now be different lengths.

[monkeyhanger]

I suppose it will be obvious when you look at your new car as the anchor clips should now be different lengths.

I thought they were different lengths when wrong, in a way that the middle seat clip housing (on a longer belt) could sit over the rear passenger side one and push down on the red release button during a turn (if the middle seat and rear passenger seat are both occupied, with belts in use), unclipping the rear passenger side's clip? Couldn't happen if they were the same length and not facing each other.

Mine are certainly different lengths, not convinced mine are "fixed".

[MilgeS]

My wife just messaged to say the seat belt warning was flashing and beeping at her this morning, has this happened to others on here or have you only found out through the letter?

[silverhairs]

The one thing you have to remember is if you have 3 seat belt anchors and somebody is sitting on the offside seat and they clip into the middle seat belt anchor, that persons weight is on the offside seat sensor, so it will bring up the alarm.
Has anybody put something heavy on the front passengers seat, when they got in the car, done their seat belt up, and the alarm has gone off because the front passengers seat belt was not done up? Could be the same with the back seats?

[monkeyhanger]

My wife just messaged to say the seat belt warning was flashing and beeping at her this morning, has this happened to others on here or have you only found out through the letter?

Did she have a big/heavy bag on the front passenger seat that the sensor has mistaken for a passenger that hasn't buckled up?

[RUM4MO]

I suppose it will be obvious when you look at your new car as the anchor clips should now be different lengths.

I thought they were different lengths when wrong, in a way that the middle seat clip housing (on a longer belt) could sit over the rear passenger side one and push down on the red release button during a turn (if the middle seat and rear passenger seat are both occupied, with belts in use), unclipping the rear passenger side's clip? Couldn't happen if they were the same length and not facing each other.

Mine are certainly different lengths, not convinced mine are "fixed".

Very good point, my mistake, so I wonder how they are going to manage to get things safe and still has seemlessly folding up of the set backs and bases, time will tell! Probably revert back to having equal length cords as in the past, now that is progress?

[monkeyhanger]

Perhaps fixed ones will be different lengths, with the difference being less than the clasp assembly length, so one cannot sit on top of the other to press the release button? Maybe we'll all need redesigned cutouts on the seat back or bench base to accomodate a redesign.

Either way, it is completely shoddy of VW to not prioritise a proper fix, nor provide guidance whether your car is affected or not. Won't impact me immediately as I have 2 kids car seats in the back, at either end and only room for a Jimmy Krankie sized passenger in the middle.

[Aube]

Hi,

After a call with VW Customer Service to clarify the seat belt situation I now understand what’s going on.

The interim fix, 69W3, should be carried out on cars that have yet to have this work completed. But even with this fix you should refrain from using the middle seat belt as it can’t guarantee your safety. My next question was about the recall 69X5, and VW confirmed that this fix is expected to be available in November but you will receive a warning label with instructions to follow so all vehicle users are informed at all times the middle seat must not be occupied. Next discussion was about the car not being fit for purpose as it can no longer carry five people. I mentioned, as an example, a family of five who traded in their older model Polo for the new model and are now unable to take the family out due to the seat belt safety issue. So what are VW going to do about this situation and many others who no longer can carry five people in the car? The response was typically guarded. In other words they’ve been told to say VW are looking into this and owners will receive an update as the fix becomes available.

Next step I suggest is a letter emailed or posted to VW asking what they are going to do about the car not being fit for purpose.