General Recall

Currently reading:
General Recall

Cameron1590

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2015
Messages
146
Points
68
Hello Chaps,

Car is at the dealers today having the Bluetooth looked at as I can’t have my phone in my pocket without it cutting out when streaming music - apparently fiat have an update for the unit but they can’t download it at the moment. - I can’t see this fixing the unit, starting to think I should just replace it.

They mentioned that the car needs to go back for recall 6199, apparently the airbag pretensioners need to be replaced however car is safe to drive and awaiting parts.

Regards,

Cameron
 
I’ve just been told there is a recall on the seat back buttons that unlock the rear seats. Waiting for parts to come in. 2015 1.4 petrol pop star . They seem fine to me though......
 
Just had the recall addressed on my 2015 MA Lounge. Apparently in an impact, the rear seat backrest latches could release, enabling the contents of the boot to launch into the car.
Took about 40 minutes while I waited. The new latches look a bit different. The surround that the belt rests on no longer has a lip on the outside edge to stop the belt slipping off the side of the seat when it's folded. Doesn't worry me as I normally slide the belt out of the way of the rear doorway.
 
Had this recall as well. Fiat Ref: 6199.

Booked in with dealer of half hour job, longer if I have the free valet.

Barts are currently on back order.

It is the bezel around the the seat back release button they replace.

Now that TrevC has detailed the change (addition of side lip) then this is all beginning to make sense as I looked at my 500X and was trying to understand how pretensioners firing could be an issue.

What is now clear (as far as I can tell) is that the basic seat catch is not strong enought to wistand a large impact. Large impact = pretensioners triggering. Either the force of the pretensioners or an impact that does not trigger them could result in the unclipped seatbelt sliding off the shoulder of the seat that allowing the seat back when the catch fails to fold forward.

So the rear seatbelts are the final restraining mechanism in a large impact.

Well this is how I read the situation based on the info Fiat and TrevC have provided.

Until you have had the recall done the Fiat recommendation is to latch the rear N/S and O/S seatbelts even if no passengers are present.
 
Had this recall as well. Fiat Ref: 6199.

Booked in with dealer of half hour job, longer if I have the free valet.

Barts are currently on back order.

It is the bezel around the the seat back release button they replace.

Now that TrevC has detailed the change (addition of side lip) then this is all beginning to make sense as I looked at my 500X and was trying to understand how pretensioners firing could be an issue.

What is now clear (as far as I can tell) is that the basic seat catch is not strong enought to wistand a large impact. Large impact = pretensioners triggering. Either the force of the pretensioners or an impact that does not trigger them could result in the unclipped seatbelt sliding off the shoulder of the seat that allowing the seat back when the catch fails to fold forward.

So the rear seatbelts are the final restraining mechanism in a large impact.

Well this is how I read the situation based on the info Fiat and TrevC have provided.

Until you have had the recall done the Fiat recommendation is to latch the rear N/S and O/S seatbelts even if no passengers are present.



I thought pretensioners were only on front belts?
 
Got my notice too. Don't believe the rear belts have firing tensioners. Seems the catch is just too weak to hold back a boot full of luggage if it gets hurtled forwards in the event of a crash. The belts being fastened will stop that as belts lock in the event of a sudden jolt. I'll get mine in again when I have yet another attempt at getting some warranty work done.
 
Last edited:
Sorry if I was unclear - it's the new part that doesn't have the side lip. The original part had the lip. The way it was explained to me was the catch was marginal, so I think the whole mechanism was replaced, and the top bezel happens to be a different design.
 
Well the plot thickens then. The recall specifically says "Rear Seat Latch BEZEL".

Maybe the bezel is failing under load and the belt is pulling on the latch mechanism.

Just phoned another dealer and it was confirmed as a bezel only change with the new bezels having no side lip. 5 to 10 mintute job and parts on backorder from Italy.
 
Last edited:
I thought pretensioners were only on front belts?

Pretensioners on the front. Retractors on the rear.

Tech Details:

Two seat belt pretensioners, one on the seat belt anchor and the other in the front and rear seat belt
retractor (EMEA) are deployed by the ORC in conjunction with the dual front airbags. When the ORC
sends the proper electrical signal to the pretensioners, the electrical energy generates enough heat to
initiate a small pyrotechnic gas generator.

On the retractor pretensioner, a gas generator is installed in one end of a steel tube that contains
numerous steel balls. As the gas expands, it pushes the steel balls through the tube into a cast metal
housing, where a ball guide directs the balls into engagement with the teeth of a sprocket that is
geared to one end of the retractor spool. As the balls drive past the sprocket, the sprocket turns and
drives the seat belt retractor spool causing the slack to be removed from the front seat belts. The ball
trap captures the balls as they leave the sprocket and are expelled from the housing.
 
Pretensioners on the front. Retractors on the rear.



Tech Details:



Two seat belt pretensioners, one on the seat belt anchor and the other in the front and rear seat belt

retractor (EMEA) are deployed by the ORC in conjunction with the dual front airbags. When the ORC

sends the proper electrical signal to the pretensioners, the electrical energy generates enough heat to

initiate a small pyrotechnic gas generator.



On the retractor pretensioner, a gas generator is installed in one end of a steel tube that contains

numerous steel balls. As the gas expands, it pushes the steel balls through the tube into a cast metal

housing, where a ball guide directs the balls into engagement with the teeth of a sprocket that is

geared to one end of the retractor spool. As the balls drive past the sprocket, the sprocket turns and

drives the seat belt retractor spool causing the slack to be removed from the front seat belts. The ball

trap captures the balls as they leave the sprocket and are expelled from the housing.



But that reads as front only surely?
 
But that reads as front only surely?

Italain / English translation I suspect.

500X eLearn clearly states, shows, rear passenger seat pretensioners.

"KeyLEARN-Contents
334- 500X 1.4 Turbo MultiAir RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER (REAR) (Right-hand drive) Q023
VALID FOR VERSION WITH: Right-hand drive"

I also recall when I installed my towbar I had to removed the rear boot comparment side walls/panels and the seatbelt reels were more complicated, and wired than a traditional passive inertia reel belt.

Not sure what else to say/add.

You could always take a look for yourself :D
 
Italain / English translation I suspect.



500X eLearn clearly states, shows, rear passenger seat pretensioners.



"KeyLEARN-Contents

334- 500X 1.4 Turbo MultiAir RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER (REAR) (Right-hand drive) Q023

VALID FOR VERSION WITH: Right-hand drive"



I also recall when I installed my towbar I had to removed the rear boot comparment side walls/panels and the seatbelt reels were more complicated, and wired than a traditional passive inertia reel belt.



Not sure what else to say/add.



You could always take a look for yourself :D



I think I’ll give that a miss....
 
Well the plot thickens then. The recall specifically says "Rear Seat Latch BEZEL".

Maybe the bezel is failing under load and the belt is pulling on the latch mechanism.

Just phoned another dealer and it was confirmed as a bezel only change with the new bezels having no side lip. 5 to 10 mintute job and parts on backorder from Italy.

I think that's a plausible explanation if it's only the bezel that's replaced.
 
Just had paperwork for the recall. Seems like there are pre tensioners fitted to rear seat belts and if no one is sitting on rear seat and an accident fires the rear pretensioners the seat back will fold and contents of boot area could come into the cabin. It all makes sense now.[emoji106]
 
Just had paperwork for the recall. Seems like there are pre tensioners fitted to rear seat belts and if no one is sitting on rear seat and an accident fires the rear pretensioners the seat back will fold and contents of boot area could come into the cabin. It all makes sense now.[emoji106]

And note ONLY the latch bezel is replaced. Latch itself/internals etc. remian the same. Probably the cheapest recall ever. Two bits of plastic and an allocated 0.5 hours to book car in, take into workshop, replace bits, take out of workshop, and hand back to customer. :D
 
Yep we've just had the Recall request through the post. Will arrange/book-in sometime....
 
Back
Top