GEN 4 Seat Belt fraying

Thanks both, I spoke to dealer about it who added that Suzuki rejected it because they could not see any evidence of a manufacturing fault.
I'll have a look at the warranty small print and possibly issue proceedings against them or the dealer at the Sheriff Court. This tends to concentrate minds and would cost Suzuki much more to defend than to do the right thing and honour the warranty.
I would like to think others have better experience with Suzuki Head Office, this has not been impressive.

lightning wrote: How can it not be covered on a brand new vehicle?

Warranty is to cover manufacturing defects.

And tbh I'm sure it is clear that this would be that. If the dealer has had a look and can't see anything causing the damage to the belt. Then the likelihood is it is damaged caused by the end user. Which a warranty would not cover.

I know it isn't what the op wants to hear. But logically if there is nothing causing the damage now on the vehicle and the belt was not damaged when they accepted the vehicle. The only rational answer is, the damage has been caused by some other means. Of which there are many possibilities. It could have been vandalised, it could have caught on something the driver has been wearing. It might have been damaged when accessing the back seats, it could have been caught in the door.

I'm not sure threatening legal action is really the correct recourse. I suspect a difficult and challenging conversation with the Mrs (or others who have been in or use the vehicle) might well provide more light on the situation.



However if it transpires to a manufacturing fault, then yes Suzuki should honour hit.

But, as Lambert says. For the sake of safety and common sense you'd want to get it replaced ASAP if you still plan to use the vehicle. Driving around with the belt damaged like that is more than likely illegal as the car is "not roadworthy". Not only being dangerous but open to prosecution.

Resolving "fault" can always come after fitting a new seat belt..... aka Common Sense.

Thanks for your thoughts, appreciated. I simply feel that it would be impossible for the end user to damage it in the way you imagine based on where the fraying is located. I believe that it must have been faulty when supplied in a way that would not be noticeable and that over the two years it developed in the way it did. Anyway that's the proposition I'll make to the sheriff court if it comes to that and he/she will make a decision after hearing Suzuki's defence.

Thanks also Martin for that info. Sounds a bit like a false economy to me. It might make that end of the business's numbers look better for a while but if it alienates existing and potential customers there's not much point and will be ultimately self defeating.

By the way of course I've ordered another belt, has to come from Germany and will take up to 10 days. And that's before Brexit!

Almost certainly this wear has occurred where the belt goes over a bearing or holder, but reading the posts it seems it is shoulder height when in use, so does it go into the trim and down to the reel when not in use or sits on the plastic covered D ring? I would be tempted to take the trim off, but guess you don't want to do that whilst it is a warranty claim.

If it stops at the d-ring, then it looks like this is the cause, but I suspect it is going down in to the trim and it is most likely catching on something behind the trim.

As it is the driver's side and sits around the shoulder when in use, I doubt your wife has metal blades on her clothes so it is normal use and when not in use the car isn't been driven so it can't be motion of the car with the belt rubbing against something.

As Lambert and other have said, this is dangerous and needs replacing.

I am not an expert on this but the warranty should cover failure of components like this whilst allowing for fair wear and tear. A seat belt failing after 2 years and 6,000 miles is not wear and tear, it just shouldn't happen in that time frame, even if it was trapped in the door a few times.

I think Suzuki are acting badly here, if you don't get anywhere you could tell the garage you are going on social media to express exactly what you think of their warranty and then if you don't get anywhere legal action, but you will need an independant inspection and you might not be able to use the car for a while.

It is probably an easy change, the sort of thing you could do yourself if you could get the part. It might be the same as a Gen 3 or other model if a Gen 4 is not available, does anyone know?

Martin, further to your comment about someone new taking over at Suzuki GB in respect of warranty claims etc, the garage just told me that it is a lady (I'm not being sexist here!) who took over after the previous person retired and this garage has never had so many warranty claims rejected or queries as now. 'it's becoming a full time job' dealing with these claims is what he said and that increasingly Suzuki are rejecting the warranty claim and if it is what they think border line leaning on the garage to fit it foc as goodwill.

DrRobin wrote: Almost certainly this wear has occurred where the belt goes over a bearing or holder, but reading the posts it seems it is shoulder height when in use, so does it go into the trim and down to the reel when not in use or sits on the plastic covered D ring? I would be tempted to take the trim off, but guess you don't want to do that whilst it is a warranty claim.

If it stops at the d-ring, then it looks like this is the cause, but I suspect it is going down in to the trim and it is most likely catching on something behind the trim.

As it is the driver's side and sits around the shoulder when in use, I doubt your wife has metal blades on her clothes so it is normal use and when not in use the car isn't been driven so it can't be motion of the car with the belt rubbing against something.

As Lambert and other have said, this is dangerous and needs replacing.

I am not an expert on this but the warranty should cover failure of components like this whilst allowing for fair wear and tear. A seat belt failing after 2 years and 6,000 miles is not wear and tear, it just shouldn't happen in that time frame, even if it was trapped in the door a few times.

I think Suzuki are acting badly here, if you don't get anywhere you could tell the garage you are going on social media to express exactly what you think of their warranty and then if you don't get anywhere legal action, but you will need an independant inspection and you might not be able to use the car for a while.

It is probably an easy change, the sort of thing you could do yourself if you could get the part. It might be the same as a Gen 3 or other model if a Gen 4 is not available, does anyone know?

I don't see how you can be so confident in your first sentence. There is no evidence at all to support this conclusion.

It would also be odd to only wear/damage the belt in a very small area with a deep cut. If there was a sharp edge as the belt moved over it backwards and forwards, it would impact a much larger portion of the leading edge of the belt.

Cutting the webbing of a belt is also quite hard, so unless this was done with a knife. It would have been progressive and easy to spot in the early stages. If something really is sharp enough to cause an almost catastrophic failure of the belt, it should be very easy to identify.

I was just guessing, I doubt the owner has cut it with a knife, anyway it is not a clean cut but frayed and has been happening over a period of time. Everytime I have seen straps frayed like this it is where they either go through a sharp angle or have been clamped at this point. I have a couple of boat straps that have gone like this, it is where they go over the keel and change angle abruptly, neither has had that much use, but they are more than two years old.

Just thinking a bit, if it is on the shoulder when is use, then when it is most likely going on to the inertia reel when put away and is probably near the top of the drum (fully retracted). It might well be catching on something on one edge of inertia reel, that would explain the damage.

Thanks for debating these points, I'm just waiting for someone to suspect me of a cunning plot to do away with the missus! Damn I've been found out!
Whether Suzuki do stand by this as a warranty claim or not as we all agree it will need to be replaced, the part is on order from Germany so lockdown permitting after the long 10 day lead time I'll take it in and hopefully see what the garage find when they dismantle to refit.
I will of course update the site when I hear anything further.

Ask if you can watch when they take it off. If they say no (likely), then insist on having the belt for scrutiny. Do this at the dealers so they can see for themselves as to likely cause and act accordingly.

Roger

Humble Pie!
It's a mouse problem. First time had a chance to take a good look under the bonnet and the critturs have stripped a fair bit of wiring insulation, inside they've also had a go at an area behing the passenger front seat.
Can't see any obvious hole they're getting inside from though.
I reckon a new wiring loom is going to be needed as well as other 'consumables', this is going to be an expensive repair so will need to look at insurance claim.
The wiring insulation does look very thin compared to stuff I'm used to like on a landrover. I saw that Toyota were sued in USA over this issue when they switched from petroleum based plastic insulation to soy. Rodents turned out to view the soy based insulation as a free snack. I wonder if Suzuki use the same material.
Question is how to stop this happening again.....