The problem
Vehicle description: light duty trucks equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "Seat belt assemblies."
The risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the buckle assemblies to determine whether the buckle assembly build date codes are within the suspect range. Those within the suspect date code range will be replaced.
Contacts
Owner notification began december 27, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Mazda dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 00V228002.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.