Q & A : Dealing With Seat Belt Recall
The announcement Tuesday of one of the biggest product recalls in history--affecting seat belts on 8.4 million cars--has consumers wondering how they will be affected.
How do you know if your car is being recalled? Where do you take it for repairs? Will you be liable for costs? If you previously paid to fix seat belts that are now being recalled, are you entitled to a refund?
Here are answers to these and other recall-related questions:
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Q: Which seat belts are being recalled and why?
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A: Front seat belts made by Takata Corp. between 1986 and 1991 are being recalled because they were made with a type of plastic that can degenerate when exposed to direct sunlight. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 931 consumer complaints saying the belts malfunctioned when small pieces of the plastic button broke off and clogged the inside latch mechanism. This made the belts difficult to buckle and unbuckle.
Rear seat belts are not part of the recall, mainly because they are not usually exposed to direct sunlight.
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Q: How do I know if my car is affected?
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A: The NHTSA is giving out a detailed list of the makes and models affected--representing about 5% of all vehicles on the nation’s highways and including popular models made by Japanese car makers Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp., Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp., Isuzu Motors Ltd. and Subaru of America Inc., and some by Chrysler Corp. and General Motors Corp. The Times is publishing the list today on D2. (It also appeared in Monday’s editions.) If you have safety-related questions or want another copy of the list, call the NHTSA’s consumer hot line at (800) 424-9393.
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Q: Are the seat belts safe? If mine appear to be working, do I need to worry about them coming unlatched in an accident?
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A: That’s debatable. Auto makers say there has not been a single confirmed incident of the belts coming apart in an accident. They say your belt is safe as long as you have no trouble latching and unlatching it. You can also test it by pulling sharply on it when belted.
However, government officials said the belts were recalled because they might come apart in an accident. About 90 injuries have been blamed on the faulty belts. However, there have been no fatalities blamed on problems with the belts, according to the NHTSA.
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Q: Do I need to have my car fixed right away?
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A: No. Unless you’re currently experiencing a problem with the belt, you should wait for a recall notice from the manufacturer. Until these notices go out this summer, most dealers will not have replacement parts in stock. Bringing your car in now could be a waste of time.
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Q: What if my safety belts aren’t working now?
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A: Then bring your car in immediately. If your dealership does not have the proper replacement parts, it can replace the entire latch.
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Q: Will there be a charge to replace the belt?
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A: Not if the latch is part of the recall. If you have a problem with rear belts or with a belt that is not being recalled, the cost will depend on whether the belts are still under warranty.
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Q: If I previously paid to fix my safety belts that are now part of the recall, am I entitled to a refund?
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A: No. According to the Department of Transportation, manufacturers are not legally required to give you a refund, but some may opt to do so for marketing reasons. So don’t count on it, but certainly ask.
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Q: Must I take my car into a dealer to have the seat belt replaced, or can I take it to my regular mechanic, who is not affiliated with a dealership?
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A: You’ll probably have to take the car into a factory-authorized dealer. However, some manufacturers say they have yet to work out the details of how the recall will be handled. When they do, they will send you a notice telling you where to take your car.
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Q: How long is the warranty on seat belts?
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A: It varies by manufacturer and sometimes by model. Generally, belts are guaranteed for the same period as the car. So if you have a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty on your car, you will have the same warranty on the belts.
But there are exceptions. American Honda offers a lifetime warranty on belts. You can bring the car into a Honda dealer to have a defective safety belt fixed or replaced for as long as you own the car. It doesn’t matter whether you bought the car new or used.
Nissan has a lifetime warranty on seat belts in cars built after 1989, but only a one-year, 12,500-mile warranty on autos made before then.
GM cars usually carry a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty, but Cadillacs are under warranty for four years or 50,000 miles. Chrysler safety belts are covered by the overall car warranty. Consumers who buy Chrysler cars choose between a bumper-to-bumper, three-year, 36,000-mile guarantee or a one-year warranty that offers an additional seven-year warranty on just the power train.
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Q: What does it cost to have seat belts replaced when they are not under warranty?
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A: This, too, varies by type of belt, car manufacturer and dealership. Mazda of North Hollywood says belt latches cost between $118 and $158, plus a nominal labor charge. However, if you have an automatic seat belt and the motor is not functioning, that could cost more than $500 for the parts alone.
On the other hand, the cost of replacing seat belts on a Jeep Cherokee is between $57.50 and $100, plus labor.
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Q: Is there some limit on how long I can wait to have the recalled part replaced? If I am not having trouble now, do I have to rush in when I get the recall notice?
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A: No. Recalls are open-ended, meaning you can take advantage of them immediately or wait indefinitely. However, manufacturers stress that if you have problems, bring the car in immediately.
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MORE SEAT BELT COVERAGE:
* Auto makers agree to recall. A1
* Dealers brace for repair boom. D2
* Company hopes to weather storm. D2
