By James Raia
Faulty seat belt brackets have prompted a recall of 624,000 pickup trucks and SUVs from the current and past two years of General Motors’ brands.
The recall affects model-year 2019-21 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks as well as model-year 2020-21 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500 and GMC Sierra 2500/3500 pickups.
The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL SUVs are also being recalled. Vehicles affected have 40/20/40 split-folding front bench seats. Vehicles with front bucket seats are not being recalled.
The issue: The seat belt bracket may not be secured to the center-seat frame. If the bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not restrain the occupant in the front-center seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Seat belt bracket noise
Occupants of the vehicles involved could hear a rattling noise from the center seat or console area. They could also notice the center seat belt in front has become loose or even detached.
GM will notify owners and dealers will inspect the left- and right-side bracket attachments for the center belt and reassemble them correctly, as necessary, without cost.
The recall is estimated to begin Feb. 1, 2021. Owners with questions may contact Chevrolet at 800-222-1020, GMC at 800-462-8782 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236.
Consumers can also visit the NHTSA website to check their vehicle identification number and for additional information.
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James Raia, a syndicated columnist in Sacramento, California, publishes a free weekly automotive podcast and electronic newsletter. Sign-ups are available on his website, www.theweeklydriver.com. He can be reached via email: james@jamesraia.com.
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