Volkswagen Group safety issue on rear middle seat of new Volkswagen Polo, Seat Ibiza and Seat Arona

Dear Customer,

We have been informed by the Volkswagen Group of a potential safety issue on one of the rear belt buckles of the new Volkswagen Polo, Seat Arona, Seat Ibiza (new models year 2018). For safety reasons, Volkswagen Group has asked their customers and rental car companies not to use the rear middle seat position of these models.

As customers’ safety is at the heart of the Europcar Mobility Group service, we took immediate action to stop renting any of these 3 models, taking the time to identify a solution that will allow us to meet our customers’ travel needs without adversely affecting safety.

Following different investigations and try tests, we are now in a position to implement an interim prevention and signalling solution in the impacted vehicles in our fleet.

If you are currently renting one of these car models, we kindly ask you to follow these directions: 

Do not use the rear middle seat position of the Polo, Seat Arona and Seat Ibiza

Customers with 4 passengers (or less than 4): return to the closest location to receive detailed guidance and benefit from a prevention and signalling solution that will prevent you from using the middle rear seat belt.

Customers with 5 passengers or customers willing to use the middle rear seat for any reasons: return to the closest location so that we can provide you with an alternative 5 seats vehicle for the rest of the rental period. By doing so, we ask you to return the car with 4 passengers maximum in total in the car, not using the rear middle seat position.

If you are about to rent one of these car models, please note that they have been reclassified from 5 seats to 4 seats or less in order to align the vehicle with its new manufacturer’s usage conditions.

A prevention and signalling solution will be systematically applied to the middle rear seat belt of these vehicles, to prevent its usage.

Our contact centers and station managers have been mobilized to ensure the delivery of this customer care program and duly inform our customers.

Should you have any question, please contact us at the most convenient telephone number for you:

FRANCE: +33 1 70 95 14 01

GERMANY: +49 40 520 18 81 16

ITALY: +39 06 96 70 98 98

PORTUGAL: +351 219 42 62 63

SPAIN: +34 911 879 843

UNITED KINGDOM: +44 371 38 40 125

Our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience caused, for reasons beyond our control.