NHTSA Complaint #11258369 — 2011 VOLVO XC60

MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELT LATCHES AND BUCKLES- THE SEAT BELT LATCHES DO NOT RELEASE THE BUCKLE VERY GOOD WHEN NEEDING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE (THEY STICK IN PLACE UNTIL THE LATCH IS HELD AT A SPECIFIC ANGLE WHILE PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON) I DONT BELIEVE THIS IS AN INTENDED SAFETY FEATURE. THIS ISSUE IS PRESENT IN ALL 5 SEAT POSITIONS LATCHES AND BUCKLES IN MY CAR. AFTER SPECIAL ATTENTION TO UNBUCKLE MYSELF, I OFTEN HAVE TO WALK AROUND TO THE BACK DOORS TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT SO I CAN UNLATCH MY SONS BUCKLE ALSO. HE IS 6YRS OLD AND HAS NOT EVER HAD ANY PROBLEM UNBUCKLING HIMSELF IN OUR LAST SUV NOR IN OUR OTHER CURRENT CAR. HE HAS LOTS OF ANXIETY OVER THIS, HE PANICKS AND THEN WILL CRY BECAUSE HE FEELS HE IS TRAPPED IN. ALSO, THE BUCKLES DO NOT ALWAYS LOCK INTO THE LATCH WHEN PUTTING THE SAFETY BELT ON WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE. OFTEN TIMES WHILE IN ROUTE, THE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT COMES ON TO NOTIFY ME THAT A BUCKLE IS NOT ON IN A SEAT POSITION BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE BUCKLE SOUNDED AND FELT LIKE IT WAS LATCHED, IT WAS NOT.BUPON CHECKING THE SEAT POSITION THE SYSTEM WARNS, THE BELT FLYS RIGHT UP AND OUT OF THE LATCH, INDICATING IT WAS NOT SECURE AFTERALL. THIS ISSUE ALSO PRESENT IN ALL 5 SEAT POSITIONS LATCH AND BUCKLES. THE ISSUES ARE INTERMITTENT BUT OCCURS MORE THAN LIKELY MORE OFTEN THAN WE THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THE DEFECTIVE FUNCTIONING AND HAVE ADAPTED TO DURING NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM CONFIDENT THAT MY FAMILY'S RISK OF HARM DURING A TRUE EMERGENCY IS GREATER BECAUSE OF THESE BUCKLES AND LATCHES AND THEIR MALFUNCTIONING.