GM Recalls Malibu Cars For Defective Seatbelts & Seat Anchors
GM Recalls Malibu Cars For Defective Seatbelts & Seat Anchors
General Motors Company announced two auto defect recalls for problems with seatbelts and seats that may not be properly anchored.
According to a Detroit News report, the automaker is recalling nearly 469,000 2011-2012 Chevy Malibu cars because a steel cable connected to the safety belt can fail.
According to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the flexible steel cable that connects the safety belt to the vehicle can wear out and separate over time.
No Serious Injuries or Fatalities
Dealers will replace the outboard lap mounting bracket to relocate the tensioner slightly rearward. When the recall begins, dealers will also inspect the cable and if necessary replace the lap pretensioner.
So far, GM knows of 36 claims. But no crashes or fatalities have been reported. One minor injury was reported where a taxi driver bumped his head.
Separately, GM is recalling 52,930 2015 model year Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks because certain seat frame attachment hooks were not properly fixed to the body.
Dealers will inspect the seats for proper installation and make repairs at no charge to consumers.
No injuries, crashes or fatalities have been reported with regard to that defect either.
Auto Product Liability Issues
This is GM’s largest vehicle recall this year. The automaker recalled millions of vehicles last year.
A majority of those vehicles were recalled for ignition defects that could cause a vehicle to stall or the airbags to not deploy in vehicles.
These ignition defects are believed to have caused at least 100 deaths and scores of serious injuries.
Seatbelt and seat defects can cause significant injury or even death to vehicle occupants. We count on seatbelts and seat restraint systems to protect us in the event of a car crash.
However, when poor seatbelt quality causes these devices to fail, vehicle occupants could get fully or partially ejected during a crash.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car crash involving a defective safety belt, it is important that you preserve the vehicle so an expert can thoroughly examine it for defects, malfunctions and design flaws.
An experienced auto product liability attorney will be able to advise injured victims and their families regarding their legal rights and options in such cases.
