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2014 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Belts Problems

3 owner-reported seat belts complaints from NHTSA data

3
Complaints
Aug 2018Dec 2016
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (3)

mediumSEAT BELTS
Filed: Nov 2021

I went to put my seat belt on, car was parked, (driver side front) and the cable that holds it the floor snapped in half. Can not use seat belt until I get it replaced. Called dealership and I knew car was out of warranty, but this is a safety issue. Said nothing they could do. The belt itself is ok, it's the cable on floor that broke in half. Car on has 30,000 miles on it. This Happened today Nov. 4 2021. Car is available for inspection

NHTSA #: 11439397
mediumSEAT BELTS
Filed: Aug 2018

WE HAVE A FAMILY MALIBU, PURCHASED BRAND NEW. MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER GOT OUT AT ONE STOP, AND GOT IN ON THE NEXT STOP. THE BACK SEATBELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAS FREEZE FOR NO APPEARENT REASON, NOT ALLOWING THE SEATBELT TO COME BACK OUT PAST A FEW INCHES. IT IS NOT FOLDED,ECT AND IS STILL NEARLY NEW. A TRUCK DID PULL OUT IN FRONT OF US IN NOVEMBER 2017 WHILE THE FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR, WE HIT IT GOING ABOUT 15 MPH, BUT THAT WAS 8 MONTHS BACK AND LIKELY ISN'T RELATED. (AIR BAGS DIDN'T GO OFF DUE TO LOWER SPEED).

NHTSA #: 11123369
mediumSEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Dec 2016

BRAKING BEFORE POTENTIAL COLLISION, ESPECIALLY SMOOTH BRAKING, REVEALS THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS AN INHERENTLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNSAFE DESIGN. *TR THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT HAS DELAYED AND INCONSISTENT LOCKING, OFTEN NOT LOCKING IN BRAKING OR LOCKING LATE. EVEN WHEN IT DOES LOCK EARLIER, IT ALLOWS TOO MUCH TRAVEL, I.E. 1/3 DISTANCE TO WHEEL. UNDER MODERATE BRAKING, BEFORE ENOUGH DECELERATION OCCURS TO LOCK THE BELT, THE DRIVER CAN TRAVEL VERY FAR FORWARD AND IT'S HARD TO HOLD ONESELF BACK. EVEN WHEN READY FOR THAT, THE FORCE NEEDED IS A DISTRACTION FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ROAD AND MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. ALSO, EXPERTS HAVE SAID THAT BEING TENSE DURING A COLLISION MAKES INJURIES WORSE OR MORE LIKELY. THE COMPLAINANT HAS TESTED THIS MANY TIMES UNDER STRAIGHT BRAKING ON 25-45 MPH ROADS WITH THE SEAT AS FAR BACK AS IS DRIVABLE AND THE WHEEL AS FAR AWAY AS PRACTICAL FOR A SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE SIZE GUY. UNDER MODERATE BRAKING, THE BELT LOCKED WITH MY HEAD 1 INCH FROM THE WHEEL. IF A COLLISION FOLLOWED, MY HEAD WOULD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY AT NEARLY POINT-BLANK RANGE TO HEAD AND CHEST. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT HAS AN ALTERNATE MODE ACTIVATED BY PULLING THE BELT ALL THE WAY OUT, WHICH ACTIVATES A RETRACT-ONLY RATCHET SO IT WILL HOLD THE PASSENGER CLOSE TO THE SEAT UNTIL RELEASED. THE DRIVER'S BELT DOES NOT HAVE THAT FEATURE. SUGGEST CRASH TESTING WITH BRAKING FROM 70 TO 40 MPH JUST PRIOR TO COLLISION RATHER THAN CRUISING INTO THE BARRIER AT STEADY 40. WITH THE 2014 MALIBU'S RESTRAINTS, THE DUMMY COULD EASILY BE 1/3 TO FULLY AGAINST THE WHEEL AT MOMENT OF COLLISION. THE PERSON SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT DOES NOT FEEL AT ALL SAFE WHILE DRIVING WITH THIS DEFECT IN THE PRIMARY DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM. THIS IS A 3-YEAR-OLD CAR THAT HAS NOT BEEN IN A COLLISION, GOING BY RECORDS AND PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA #: 10937784

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