2018 Chevrolet Equinox Seat Belts Problems

When buckled, the part of the seat belt buckle where the LAP belt slides through the actual buckle part becomes binding and has to be manual pushed through the buckle in order to move your hips when seated. This issue has absolutely nothing to do with the shoulder part of the belt or the belt not retracting. It is solely an issue with the plastic buckle and the belt not sliding through it when seated. This is a safety issue because the lap belt becomes binding while seated. If the driver needs to shift in the seat, he must pull the shoulder belt out to create give in the belt and then use both hands to manually feed the belt through the buckle. This is unsafe when driving for obvious reasons if the driver is unable to use any hands on the steering wheel. If the driver doesn't continuously adjust the belt in this way, it becomes so tight across the hips that it causes discomfort and redness on the skin and abrasions if the vehicle turns wide or breaks quickly. This intense discomfort makes me avoid wearing my seatbelt which causes obvious risk or poses a risk to myself and other drivers if I need to take both hands off the wheel to adjust it while driving. The front passenger seat belt has the same issue. I began to notice this issue about 6 months ago and have taken the vehicle to a dealer/service center 3 times without any recourse other than being offered the opportunity to replace the entire seat belt system for $700 each.

THE CURRENT LOCKED-IN WALL-MOUNTED SHOULDER SAFETY STRAPS ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND POSSIBLY DANGEROUS FOR A SHORT PERSON. PREVIOUSLY WE OWNED A 2012 EQUINOX, AND BEING UNDER 5'2" TALL, I USED THE WALL-MOUNTED SHOULDER STRAP "SLIDER" ADJUSTMENT TO COMFORTABLY ADJUST THE SEAT BELT HEIGHT IN BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS. WE NOW OWN A 2018 EQUINOX, AND IT NO LONGER HAS THE "SLIDER" HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT (WALL-MOUNTED). IT ONLY HAS THE LOCKED-IN SHOULDER STRAP. THE SHOULDER STRAP RESTS AGAINST THE SIDE OF MY NECK, AND FEELS AS IF IT IS RUBBING OR CUTTING INTO MY NECK. NOW, INSTEAD OF THE SHOULDER STRAP HEIGHT BEING ADJUSTABLE, THE PASSENGER SEAT HEIGHT IS ADJUSTABLE (THE DRIVER SEAT HEIGHT PREVIOUSLY WAS ADJUSTABLE). WHILE THE ADDITIONAL VISIBILITY IS HELPFUL, THE SHOULDER STRAP STILL FEEL AS IF IT IS RUBBING OR CUTTING INTO MY NECK. TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM, WHEN I AM DRIVING (USING BOTH HANDS, AS I ALWAYS DO), THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, SO I TRY TO WEAR A SHIRT WITH A COLLAR TO TUCK THE STRAP UNDER. THIS IS NOT MUCH BETTER. WHEN I AM A PASSENGER, I EITHER HOLD THE SHOULDER STRAP WITH MY HAND, OR PUT MY FOREARM UNDER THE SHOULDER STRAP, BUT STILL KEEP THE STRAP OVER MY SHOULDER. WHILE I MAY RISK A BROKEN HAND OR ARM WITH THESE METHODS, IT IS PREFERABLE TO RISKING A POSSIBLE BROKEN NECK.

THE SEAT BELTS ARE DESIGNED SUCH THAT A SHORTER PERSON MUST WEAR THE BELT ACROSS THEIR NECK WHEN BUCKLED IN. THE ADJUSTMENT TO RAISE AND LOWER THE SEATBELT FROM THE WALL OF THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE SHORTER DRIVER (INCLUDING STUDENT DRIVERS). IF AN INCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR THAT REQUIRED THE SEATBELT, I BELIEVE ADDITIONAL INJURY COULD RESULT TO THE NECK AND POSSIBLY SEVERE THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T OCCUR WITH PROPERLY FIT SEATBELTS.

I AM NOT ABLE TO ADJUST THE HEIGHT IN WHICH MY SEAT BELT LAYS ON MY CHEST. I AM 5'3' AND USUALLY NEED TO ADJUST THE SEAT BELT HEIGHT IN THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, WHEN I LEASED MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED THERE WAS NO WAY TO ADJUST THIS. WHEN I AM DRIVING, I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE HEIGHT OF MY SEAT, HOWEVER, MY KNEES BECOME TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND I AM THEN SITTING TOO HIGH IN THE VEHICLE TO HAVE GOOD VISION OF THE ROAD. THIS EVENING, I WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, HE HAD TO PUSH THE BRAKES VERY UPRIBPTLY AS DEER WERE IN OUR PATH AS HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON A RURAL ROAD AND THE SEATBELT LOCKED AND CUT INTO MY NECK. THIS WAS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE THAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS A 'RUG BURN.' THE SEATBELT LEFT A RED MARK ON MY NECK, AND HOURS LATER, IS STILL VISIBLE. WHILE THE SEATBELT STOPPED ME FROM GOING FORWARD, IT STOPPED ME USING MY NECK, WHICH WAS PAINFUL. HAD I BEEN ABLE TO ADJUST THE HEIGHT OF THE SEATBELT, IT WOULD NOT HAVE RUBBED MY BARE NECK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART FOR A SEAT BELT RECALL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SERVICED THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE FOR MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.