Porsche recalls 2010 Panamera over potential seatbelt failure

Porsche and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are issuing a recall for the 2010 Panamera for a potential seat belt defect that could leave the driver unprotected in the event of a crash.

NHTSA says the defect can occur when either front seat is put in an “extreme position,” which could lead to the seat belt mount being detached from the anchoring mechanism while the belt is fastened or opened. The post-jump NHTSA release doesn’t explain what an “extreme position” is, though we’re guessing that the safety administration is referring to a seat that is either very close to or very far away from the dash (see UPDATE below).

But while we don’t know which seat positions could cause the problem, we do know that the result could be serious. NHTSA says that, in the event of a crash, the seat belt may not adequately protect the front seat occupant. Th agency’s release states that there are up to 3,176 units affected by the safety action. Panamera owners (congratulations!) can take their vehicle to the nearest Porsche dealer, where an additional locking element will be installed onto the belt anchoring system to correct the issue. Hit the jump to read over the official press release.

Porsche spokesman Gary Fong tells Autoblog:

“The company has discovered that in extreme forward front seat positions the front safety belts do not meet our strict safety standards. To assure the front belts works properly in all possible positions, Porsche will add an additional element to the anchoring system. The repair takes about 15 minutes and will be done free of charge. No injuries or fatalities have been associated with this recall.”

[Via]