Hometown Trolley Villager Recall 17V582: Driver seat belt buckle may stick and fail to latch

What this recall means for you

On certain 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley buses equipped with Recaro commercial bus driver seats, the seat belt buckle can become stuck in the locked position. When this happens, the seat belt tongue cannot be inserted and latched, so the belt does not work as designed.

If a seat belt cannot be latched, the bus may be driven with the belt unused, which raises the risk of injury in a crash. The affected vehicles also do not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 209 for seat belt assemblies.

Owners will be notified by Double K Inc. The buckle housings will be replaced free of charge at an authorized dealer. For questions, contact Recaro customer service at 1-248-364-3818 or Double K customer service at 1-715-478-5090, referencing recall 17E035. You can also check your vehicle identification number for any open recalls.

Check whether this recall is open on your vehicle

The repair is normally free at an authorized dealer.

Official recall notice

Safety recall 17V582Double K Inc.

Component: SEAT BELTS; SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
Problem: Double K Inc. (Double K) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Hometown Trolley Villager, Mainstreet, and Streetcar trackless trolley buses, equipped with Recaro Commercial Bus Driver Seats, models Ergo R, Ergo D, AM71, AM72 and AM80. In the affected seats, the seat belt buckle may be stuck in the locked position, preventing the seat belt tongue from being able to be inserted and locked. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: If the seat belt cannot be latched, the bus may be operated without the seat belt being used, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Double K will notify owners, and dealers will replace the buckle housings, free of charge. The recall began on November 10, 2017. Owners may contact Recaro customer service at 1-248-364-3818 or Double K customer service at 1-715-478-5090. Double K's number for this recall is 17E035.
Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Affected vehicles

Hometown Trolley Mainstreet	2016 2017
Hometown Trolley Streetcar	2016 2017
Hometown Trolley Villager	2016 2017