The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CONVERSION VANS. THE INBOARD BUCKLES FOR THE DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS WERE INSTALLED ON A SEAT BAR ATTACHED TO THE SEAT PEDESTAL. THIS RAISED THE BUCKLE LOCATION CLOSER THAN PERMITTED BY THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
The risk
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE INBOARD SEAT BELT BUCKLES FOR THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS AND THEN REMOVE A PORTION OF THE SEAT BELT BAR OF EACH SEAT. TWO NEW SAEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE INSTALLED TO THE REAR INBOARD FLOOR STUD.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Van House Astro | 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
| Van House Safari | 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van House Astro | 1986 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Astro | 1987 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Astro | 1988 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Astro | 1989 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Astro | 1990 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Astro | 1991 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1986 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1987 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1988 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1989 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1990 | 0 | 1 |
| Van House Safari | 1991 | 0 | 1 |
Other seat belts recalls in 1999
10 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the seat belts.
| 99V328000 22 Nov 1999 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, INC. |
| 99V308000 2 Nov 1999 | COLLINS BUS CORPORATION |
| 99V280000 20 Oct 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V269000 12 Oct 1999 | TIARA MOTOR COACH DIVISION |
| 99V250000 20 Sept 1999 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 99V266000 7 Sept 1999 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 99V155000 28 Jun 1999 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 99V118000 12 May 1999 | SPARTAN MOTORS, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999