The problem
On certain passenger vehicles, the right and/or left rear seat belts may not lock properly due to missing retaining pins on the housing.
The risk
The locking mechanism of the seat belt retractor may malfunction, increasing the risk of death or serious injury to the rear seat passengers in the event of a crash. Passengers should not sit and child seats should not be used in the right or left rear seats until this defect has been corrected.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the rear seat belts and replace defective seat belt retractors. The recall began on december 27, 2004. Owners should contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500, option #4.
Contacts
Mazda recall no. 2604L. Customers can 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 04V582000.
- 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.