DETROIT — General Motors is recalling more than 484,000 large SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem that can cause the third-row seat belts to malfunction.
The recall covers Chevrolet Suburbans and Tahoes, Cadillac Escalades and GMC Yukons from the 2021 and 2022 model years. Vehicles without third-row seating are not affected by the recall.
The automaker says in documents posted Tuesday by U.S. safety regulators that rivets that hold the buckle to the mounting bracket on the left- and right side third-row seats may have been formed improperly. The belts may not properly restrain a passenger in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. General Motors determined in a recent investigation that operators at the seatbelt buckle supplier's manufacturing plant "may have not properly followed manufacturing processes and inadvertently missed the rivet forming operation."
The maker became aware of the recall in May when a General Motors dealership received a customer report about the third-row seatbelt buckle assembly separating in a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban.
Dealers will inspect the rivet heads and replace buckle assemblies if needed. Owners will be notified starting Sept. 26.
Earlier this month, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation opened a query into seat belt pretensioners on certain 2020-2022 Kia/Hyundai vehicles, saying that they may rupture or explode.
A seat belt pretensioner is a part of the seat belt system that locks the seat belt in place during a crash.
