Nearly 500,000 SUVs Recalled by General Motors to Fix Potential Seat Belt Problem

If you drive a new SUV produced by General Motors, you could very possibly receive information about a recall of your vehicle. GM has issued a voluntary recall of more than 484,000 big SUVs because of a potential problem that could cause the third-row seat belts to not function properly.

Good News, Bad News

As vehicle recalls go, this one seems pretty simple. The good news - if you're looking for some - is that the problem doesn't appear to have anything to do with the way the vehicles drive or operate. A bit of more good news is that, as far as GM knows, there have not been any crashes or injuries caused by the problem. The bad news, however, is that seat belts are pretty doggone important, and not something you want malfunctioning in the event of an accident.

What Exactly is the Problem?

According to GM's defect report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Operators at the supplier’s manufacturing plant may have not properly followed manufacturing processes and inadvertently missed the rivet-forming operation. In certain of these vehicles, the rivet that retains the buckle to the mounting bracket in the left or right side third-row seatbelt buckle assembly may not have been properly formed during the manufacturing process. If the third-row seatbelt assembly is not properly riveted, it may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What Vehicles are Being Recalled?

The recall includes the following GM full-size SUVs...

• 2021-2022 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV
• 2021-2022 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe
• 2021-2022 model year GMC Yukon and Yukon XL

Get our free mobile app

General Motors says owners of these vehicles should expect to get information regarding the recall and repair process starting on September 26, 2022.