'It just came up in my hand': Seatbelt installed after recall fails

A Cape Breton man wants anyone who owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu to check their seatbelts after the replacement for a recalled seatbelt failed in his vehicle.

Stanley White bought a 2011 Malibu brand new from a dealership in Sydney. Four years later, he received a letter from General Motors.

"I got a notice in June [2015] telling me there might be a safety issue with my seatbelt and it was recalled," he said.

The notice said the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the vehicle in the front seats can wear over time and separate, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.  

According to Transport Canada's website, 18,486 Malibu vehicles were subject to the seatbelt recall.

White's recalled seatbelt was replaced and he didn't think any more about it.

'I couldn't believe that it actually happened'

Then, in September, he got into his car and got a big surprise.

"I went to put the seatbelt on as usual, only the seatbelt wasn't connected to anything," he said. "It just came up in my hand.

"I couldn't believe that it actually happened."

White said the replacement seatbelt seemed to fail in exactly the same place that prompted the recall. He expected the replacement would be replaced for free.

"I thought, 'Well, this is a no-brainer and they're going to fix it. Why wouldn't they?"' he said.

No more replacements

But he soon discovered that wasn't the case. Both the dealership and GM told him there was nothing they could do.

The dealership said there was only a one-year warranty on parts and labour on the replacement belt and once the recalled part is replaced, the recall is over.

White said it would cost him $300, plus labour, to have a new seatbelt installed.

Only one complaint to government

White also reported the problem to Transport Canada, which in an email said it has received no other complaints about the replacement seatbelts.

"Transport Canada is working with the owner to examine the replacement belt," spokesperson Pierre Manoni said.

He said the department is not in a position to speak about the complaint until the examination is complete.

GM agrees to pay

CBC also contacted General Motors, which subsequently agreed to replace the faulty seatbelt for free.

It did not answer a question asking whether it was aware of other faulty replacement seatbelts, and if so, how many complaints it had received.

"We are investigating the matter," Uzma Mustafa, GM Canada spokesperson, said in an email.

White said there should be no end date on recalls.

"If they manufacture a car with a known defect it should be replaced," White said.