About 37,000 vehicles from Jaguar and Land Rover are being recalled because they are equipped with faulty front passenger seatbelt retractors that could make it difficult to securely install a child car seat.
According to Consumer Reports, the rear seatbelts are not included in the recall and it is not recommended to install a child seat in the front passenger seat.
The faulty seatbelt component can create a safety risk for passengers in affected vehicles.
Details of the Recall
Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the recalled vehicles are from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 model years. About 9,000 of the recalled vehicles are Jaguar sedans and SUVs while the remaining 28,000 vehicles are Land Rover SUVs. The problem is with a component called an automatic locking retractor (ALR), which locks a seatbelt for a snug car seat installation.
Because the belt needs to be tight to hold a child car seat in place, a defective ALR could make it difficult to securely install one using a seatbelt. If a car seat is not properly positioned, the child in it could be at an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash. This recall is similar to recent ones from other automakers because the defective parts all come from the same supplier, Autoliv.
NHTSA says so far there haven’t been reports of accidents or injuries relating to these defective seatbelts. When the recall begins in October, Jaguar and Land Rover dealers will inspect and replace the seatbelt assemblies as necessary, free of charge.
Auto Product Liability Issues
Seatbelt retractors are an important part of the seat restraint system that keeps passengers in place in the event of a car accident. They are part of the seat restraint system that prevents passengers from getting partially or completely ejected during a crash. When that happens, vehicle occupants could suffer catastrophic or even fatal injuries. In this particular case, the defective retractors could potentially prevent the proper installation of a child car seat, putting the most vulnerable passengers at risk of serious injuries.
If you have one of these recalled vehicles, it is important that you take your vehicle to the dealership for an inspection right away. Recall repairs are always made at no cost, under federal law. If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a vehicle defect, please contact an experienced auto defect lawyer for more information about pursuing your legal rights.
