Vehicle recall 96V219000 · November 4, 1996
Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird
These vehicles were manufactured with seat belt retractors out of design position which can cause the retractor to lock-up on slopes less severe than the FMVSS requirement.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- These vehicles were manufactured with seat belt retractors out of design position which can cause the retractor to lock-up on slopes less severe than the FMVSS requirement. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
- Consequence
- In the event of a vehicle collision, unbelted occupants are more at risk of injury than those using seat belts.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the seat belts for proper front seat belt retractor position. Retractors found to be improperly positioned will be reinstalled correctly.
- Notes
- Owner notification:owner notification began in October 1996. Note:owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.ALSO contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 96V219000
- Reported to NHTSA
- November 4, 1996
- Filed by
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Owner notification
- November 20, 1996
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 1,573
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Chevrolet Camaro (1997): 1997
- Pontiac Firebird (1997): 1997
Has your Chevrolet been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Chevrolet dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.