NHTSA Complaint #10875928 — 2014 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WEEK OF APRIL 3RD 2016 (APPROX THU APR 7TH) MY 17 YEAR OLD SON EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE, REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD NO LONGER SLIDE DOWN THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING CAUGHT AT A TORN SPOT ON THE SEAT BELT THAT WAS NOW BEGINNING TO FRAY. WE COULD NOT USE THE SEAT BELT THE WAY THAT IT WAS SO HE SAT ON THE OTHER SIDE TO GET HOME. ...UPDATED 08/31/16 *BF WE OBSERVED THE SEAT BELT AND NOTED THAT IT WAS SEVERELY FRAYED APPROX OF AN INCH INTO THE EDGE OF THE SEAT BELT. THE NYLON WEBBING WAS BUNCHING UP AND NOT ALLOWING THE BUCKLE TO SLIDE DOWN THE SEAT BELT. MY FIRST ASSUMPTION WAS THAT THE SEAT BELT GOT SLAMMED IN THE DOOR AND MAY HAVE CUT IT ALLOWING THE SEAT BELT TO START TO FRAY. THINKING THIS WAS THE CASE WE DECIDED TO TRIM THE FRAYED FIBERS FROM THE BELT AND USE AN IRON TO SEAL THE AREA BY HEATING IT. THIS WORKED WELL AND ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO USE THE SEAT BELT BUT UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION WE NOTICED THAT THE FRAYED AREA WAS EXACTLY WHERE THE BELT STOPS IN THE OPENING IN THE REAR DASH, EXACTLY!. WE LOOKED AT THE OTHER TWO BELTS, REAR CENTER, AND REAR DRIVERS SIDE AND NOTICED THE SAME FRAYING OCCURRING IN VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE, IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATIONS, RIGHT WHERE THE SEAT BELT STOPS IN THE OPENING IN THE REAR DASH, THE EXACT SAME SPOT!..I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THELEN IN BAYCITY, MI TO ASK THEM TO LOOK AT THE SEAT BELTS WHILE THE CAR WAS IN FOR ITS 30,000 MILE SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN ON APRIL 29TH 2016.THE DEALERSHIP FOUND ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE CAR AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ELEVATE THE SEAT BELT ISSUE TO THE REGIONAL VOLKSWAGEN REP. I AGREED TO LEAVE THE CAR. I RETURNED TO PICK UP THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THE SEAT BELT DEFECT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY VW. I APPEALED TO VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BBB AUOTLINE BUT HAVE BEEN DECLINED EACH TIME. ...UPDATED 08/30/16 *BF VIN NUMBER IS INVALID UPDATED 6/20/18*JB