General Motors is recalling the Chevrolet Corvette because occupants might be unable to use the seatbelts. Not good. The automaker discovered that the driver and passenger seatbelt retractors could have two out-of-spec internal components that, if the belt is fully extended, lock the seatbelt in the stowed position, preventing an occupant from using it. The recall affects 13,464 2024-2025 Corvettes.
The automaker began looking into the issue in late February after an engineer observed a lock-up in a 2024 Corvette seatbelt. General Motors opened an investigation on April 9, identifying 56 complaints possibly related to the issue it had received between October 13, 2023, and May 21, 2024.
Occupants not wearing a seatbelt could be injured in a crash or receive a citation for not wearing it. GM decided on May 30 to issue a recall, and it is unaware of any accidents or injuries associated with the problem.
The recall also includes a stop-delivery letter for dealers for the 2024 and 2025 Corvette. It notes that replacement parts are not currently available for the sports car, and it makes no mention of when they will be in stock, so dealers can’t sell the Corvette. Once they have them, Chevy dealers will replace the bad retractors free of charge.
GM will begin notifying customers about the recall on July 22.
