Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has issued its second seatbelt-related recall within three months, affecting 1,821 vehicles manufactured between December 2021 & May 2025. This follows a larger recall in May 2025 that impacted 47,235 units across the same models. The recall covers all Skoda-VW India 2.0 cars, namely the Škoda Kylaq, Kushaq, & Slavia, alongside the Volkswagen Taigun & Virtus. All affected vehicles are manufactured at SAVWIPL’s Chakan facility in the state of Maharashtra.
Technical Details & Cause
The latest recall is based on two critical safety issues identified during ongoing quality inspections. SAVWIPL discovered frame cracks in the metal base of rear seatbelt assemblies on both left & right sides. Additionally, incorrect seatbelt components were installed in some vehicles during manufacturing, creating a potential risk of failure during crashes.
In the earlier May recall, the problem was different but equally serious. The rear seatbelt buckle latch plate could break during frontal collisions, while the webbing of the rear centre seatbelt assembly & the buckle of the rear right seatbelt might fail. Both recalls pose serious safety risks to rear-seat passengers. If the defective seatbelt frame cracks during a collision, it may fail to restrain passengers properly, leading to higher injury or fatality risks. The repeated nature of these defects raises questions about supplier quality controls at the Chakan facility.
What Owners Should Do
The May recall affected 25,722 Škoda vehicles & 21,513 Volkswagen cars manufactured between May 24, 2024, & April 1, 2025. The current recall involves 860 Škoda units & 961 Volkswagen vehicles produced over a longer timeframe from December 2021 to May 2025. If you own a Kylaq, Kushaq, Slavia, Taigun, or Virtus manufactured during the affected periods, contact your nearest authorised dealer immediately to determine if your vehicle is affected and bring it to your nearest dealer for evaluation and repair. Even if you haven’t received official notification, proactively checking your VIN on the manufacturer’s recall portal is good practice.
