Jaguar and Land Rover Recall Due to Car Seat Installation Concerns
A pile of vehicles from both Jaguar and Land Rover are being recalled due to a dangerous flaw in the seat belt retractors that can make it hard to properly install a child’s car seat. This recall applies to 37,000 vehicles between the two brands. This issue only applies to the front seat belts, not the back. All of the affected vehicles are 2020 and newer. One of the most important models to note is the new Land Rover Defender.
The Jaguar and Land Rover recalls are mostly SUVs
Proper car seat installation is one of the most important aspects of safely driving around a child. Trusting that the seat belts will do their jobs is absolutely essential. According to Consumer Reports, many Jaguar and Land Rover models have been found lacking in this department.
Although most safety experts recommend that you put your child’s car seat in the second row, the front seat belt retractors across 37,000 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles make it difficult to effectively secure a child’s car seat.
This kind of recall is one of an abundance of caution. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the vehicles included in the recall are from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 model years. Around 9,000 of the recalled vehicles are Jaguar sedans and SUVs, while the remaining 28,000 vehicles are Land Rover SUVs.
What’s wrong with these seat belts?
The problem isn’t with the seat belt itself. The problem is with a component called an automatic locking retractor (ALR), which locks a seat belt for a snug car seat installation. It’s the thing that keeps you from quickly moving to look out the window with an immobilizing “click.”
A care seat is dependent on the ALR to make sure the seat stays in place, even outside of a crash. If a car seat can move around, even taking a sharp corner could result in serious injury. Obviously, with a faulty ALR, a crash would be catastrophic. A nonfunctioning ALR makes proper car seat installation impossible.
Jaguar and Land Rover aren’t alone in this recall. This recall is similar to recent ones from other automakers like BMW, Audi, Ford, Nissan, and more, because the faulty parts all come from the same supplier, Autoliv.
Where should you put your car seat?
Experts say that car seats should be belted in the back seat, not the front, for the safest car seat installation. Thankfully, most people understand that kids shouldn’t sit up front for obvious safety reasons. As a result of this common knowledge, there have been no reports of incidents due to this ALR defect.
What to do if your car has been recalled?
This is a list of all the Jaguar and Land Rover models affected by the seat belt recall:
- 2020 to 2021 Jaguar F-Pace
- 2021 and 2022 Jaguar F-Type
- 2021 Jaguar XF
- 2020 to 2022 Land Rover Defender
- 2020 to 2022 Land Rover Discovery
- 2020 and 2021 Land Rover Discovery Sport
- 2021 Land Rover Range Rover
- 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- 2020 and 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
If you own a vehicle on this list, the manufacturer will replace the faulty ALR for no charge. Jaguar and Land Rover expect to notify owners by mail beginning Oct. 22, 2021. Jaguar owners may contact customer service at 800-452-4827. Land Rover owners may contact customer service at 800-637-6837.
RELATED: Hot Take: The 2021 Land Rover Defender Might Be the Best One Ever
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