Imagine making a turn and suddenly finding the driver’s side door unexpectedly opening. That would be unnerving and that’s why Volvo is recalling 144,937 vehicles in the United States.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF), the recall impacts 2011-2017 S60 and S60 Cross Country models as well as their V60 and V60 Cross Country counterparts. The cars were produced between June 2nd, 2010 and December 31st, 2016.
The government says the vehicles have defective door latches which can weaken and break after exposure to extreme heat. While the NHTSA says they’ll likely break when the door is being opened, they cannot exclude the “potential risk for the door to open while driving.”
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In particular, the agency said this could occur while reversing or driving around a roundabout. While the chances of this happening are relatively small, the NHTSA said it could be dangerous if the door were to open and there was an unbelted occupant sitting next to it.
On the bright side, the government said most people notice the issue as the doors become harder to close. Even if owners don’t notice, the open-door warning light should illuminate in the driver information display.
Volvo will notify owners of affected models and they’ll be able to go to a dealership who will replace all four door latches free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 4th, 2020 and owners can contact Volvo for more information.
