Rear Seat Belt Problem in 5 Models – Second Recall in a Year
Skoda India and Volkswagen India have recalled 1,821 vehicles manufactured in India due to a technical defect. The recall by the French carmaker includes models manufactured between December 2021 and May 2025.
What’s the Problem?
If the car gets hit from the front, the rear seat belt buckle can break. This could make the seat belt come loose and increase the chance of injury to people sitting in the back seat.
This issue affects:
- 860 Skoda cars (Slavia, Kushaq, and Kodiaq)
- 961 Volkswagen cars (Virtus and Tiguan)
The metal part of the seat belt clip (called the latch plate) is weak and might not work properly during an accident.
Rear seat belt defect
In the recall document, Skoda and Volkswagen said that if the car is hit from the front, the rear seat belt buckle can break. In such a case, the right-hand seat belt buckle can come out of the webbing of the rear center seat belt assembly. This increases the risk of injury to passengers.
The seat belt buckle latch plate is a metal plate that is used to attach and strengthen the buckle (clip) of a car seat belt. This clip attaches to the seat or car frame so that the seat belt works firmly during a crash and keeps the passenger safe. Its main function is to make the seat belt system stable and safe, which reduces the risk of injury in a crash.
Second Recall This Year
In May 2025, both companies also recalled over 47,000 cars for the same problem in other models:
- 25,722 Skoda cars
- 21,513 Volkswagen cars
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Free Repair at Workshops
Both the companies said that the official workshops of Skoda India and Volkswagen India will contact the owners of these models, where the defect will be rectified. Vehicle owners will be informed about the replacement of the defective parts. There will be no charge from the customer for repairing the defect or replacing the parts.
Customers can check if their car is part of the recall by contacting their service center. Apart from this, you can also find out from the recall page of the company's website using the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). However, the companies have not confirmed whether any casualties have been caused due to the faulty rear seat belts.
Examples of Other Big Car Recalls in India:
- Maruti WagonR & Baleno (2020): Fuel pump problem – 1.34 lakh cars recalled.
- Maruti Eeco (2020): Headlamp symbol missing – 40,453 cars recalled.
- Mahindra Pickup (2021): Faulty fluid pipe – 29,878 vehicles recalled.
- Mahindra Thar (2021): Damaged parts due to machinery – 1,577 SUVs recalled.
- Royal Enfield (2021): Risk of short circuit – Over 2.3 lakh bikes recalled.
What is a Car Recall?
When a company finds a safety problem in its cars, it asks owners to bring them back for repair. This is called a recall.
The goal is to fix the issue before any accident or problem happens.
Expert Info
Before starting a recall, companies must report the problem to SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers).
SIAM checks how serious the problem is and gives approval for the recall.
Even if your car is in a different city, you can get it repaired at any official service center nearby.
