The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·13E061000·Announced 2013-11-12

Seat Belt Assemblies Recalled for Non-Compliant Latch Plate Release Mechanism

Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc. is recalling seat belt assemblies manufactured between August and October 2013 that may fail to release properly, potentially hindering vehicle egress during emergencies.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a safety-critical component (seat belts) where a defect could hinder egress and increase injury risk in an emergency, fitting the 'High' criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc. (IMMI) is recalling certain seat belt assemblies manufactured from August 2, 2013, through October 31, 2013. These assemblies fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." The defect involves the latch plate, which can become partially engaged with the buckle when the release button is pressed, requiring more effort than specified to separate the components.

If the latch plate remains partially engaged, egress from the vehicle could be hindered, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an emergency. IMMI has notified its customers, who are the vehicle and seating manufacturers. It is IMMI's understanding that the vehicle manufacturers will provide replacement buckles, free of charge, to purchasers of vehicles containing the noncompliant seat belt assemblies.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov for more information.

The recalled product

Product
SEAT BELTS recall
Manufacturer
Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Seat Belt Assemblies
Hazard
Affected units
74,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same manufacturer · Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc.

See all →

Same hazard · egress hindrance

See all →