Photo: Bentley / edited
Bentley is owned by the Volkswagen Group since 1998, and somewhat customary of a Volkswagen Group-owned marque, certain manufacturing errors may occur. On this occasion, the sharp edge on an airbag deflector bracket rivet could tear the airbag during deployment.
This recall concerns third-generation Continental GT coupes and Continental GTC convertibles produced for the 2020 and 2021 model years between June 20th, 2019 and January 18th, 2021. A grand total of 1,610 vehicles are called back in the U.S. and federalized territories.
In short, Bentley discovered that a sharp edge on the rivet may have been created while riveting the seat airbag deflector bracket to the seat frame. This condition reduces the airbag’s effectiveness in a crash, with suspect rivets bearing part numbers N.905.113.02 and WHT.009.478, as per the recall report attached below.
N.905.113.02 entered production on December 7th, 2018. The British automaker then switched to WHT.009.478 on December 11th, 2019. The sharp edge was reported by production facility workers on the 25th of November in 2020, prompting Bentley to contain the suspect rivets.
The Crewe-based marque introduced a bolted joint into production on July 21st, 2022, and for some reason or another, Bentley started investigating the suspect rivets in July 2022 as well. The Product Safety Committee was eventually presented with the results of the investigation in March 2023, deciding to recall the affected vehicles.
Owners will be informed of this problem no later than April 17th. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the front seats and – if necessary – remove the sharp edge of the airbag deflector bracket rivets. Considering how much a Continental GT costs, one would naturally expect replacement bolted joints rather than rectified airbag deflector bracket rivets. But alas, the Volkswagen Group is notorious for cheaping out even at this price point.
Due to the increased risk of injury presented by the sharp edge, recalled vehicles don’t comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards 214 (side impact protection) and 208 (occupant crash protection). Also worthy of note, the manufacturer of said rivets is none other than Bentley.
Twinned with the Porsche Panamera due to the Volkswagen Group’s MSB (Modularer Standardantriebsbaukasten) vehicle architecture, the Continental GT and Continental GTC come exclusively with a dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Scheduled to receive a plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V6 in the near future, the Conti is currently available with a twin-turbo V8 and a twin-turbo W12. The V8 is a Porsche design, while the W12 is a Bentley exclusive.
A gran turismo that wows in the corners due to 48-volt electromechanical active roll stabilization, the Continental GT accounted for nearly a third of the 15,174 global deliveries reported by Bentley in 2022. The best-selling model currently assembled at the Crewe-based plant is the Bentaya sport utility vehicle, which accounted for 42 percent of deliveries.
In short, Bentley discovered that a sharp edge on the rivet may have been created while riveting the seat airbag deflector bracket to the seat frame. This condition reduces the airbag’s effectiveness in a crash, with suspect rivets bearing part numbers N.905.113.02 and WHT.009.478, as per the recall report attached below.
N.905.113.02 entered production on December 7th, 2018. The British automaker then switched to WHT.009.478 on December 11th, 2019. The sharp edge was reported by production facility workers on the 25th of November in 2020, prompting Bentley to contain the suspect rivets.
The Crewe-based marque introduced a bolted joint into production on July 21st, 2022, and for some reason or another, Bentley started investigating the suspect rivets in July 2022 as well. The Product Safety Committee was eventually presented with the results of the investigation in March 2023, deciding to recall the affected vehicles.
Owners will be informed of this problem no later than April 17th. Dealers have been instructed to inspect the front seats and – if necessary – remove the sharp edge of the airbag deflector bracket rivets. Considering how much a Continental GT costs, one would naturally expect replacement bolted joints rather than rectified airbag deflector bracket rivets. But alas, the Volkswagen Group is notorious for cheaping out even at this price point.
Due to the increased risk of injury presented by the sharp edge, recalled vehicles don’t comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards 214 (side impact protection) and 208 (occupant crash protection). Also worthy of note, the manufacturer of said rivets is none other than Bentley.
Twinned with the Porsche Panamera due to the Volkswagen Group’s MSB (Modularer Standardantriebsbaukasten) vehicle architecture, the Continental GT and Continental GTC come exclusively with a dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Scheduled to receive a plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V6 in the near future, the Conti is currently available with a twin-turbo V8 and a twin-turbo W12. The V8 is a Porsche design, while the W12 is a Bentley exclusive.
A gran turismo that wows in the corners due to 48-volt electromechanical active roll stabilization, the Continental GT accounted for nearly a third of the 15,174 global deliveries reported by Bentley in 2022. The best-selling model currently assembled at the Crewe-based plant is the Bentaya sport utility vehicle, which accounted for 42 percent of deliveries.
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