1997 Dodge Grand Caravan Child Seat Problems

CONSUMER HAS NO DEFECT/ REQUEST TO BE ADDED TO MAILING LIST FOR GRACO A8462HAV CARSEAT. *MR *SC

THE SEAT BELT ON BOTH INTEGATED CHILD SEATS FAILED WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. ONE FAILED WHILE VAN WAS IN MOTION WITH CHILD IN SEAT. THE LATCH SYSTEM THAT LOCKS THE SHOULDER BELTS BROKE. THIS FAILURE PREVENTS THE SHOULDER BELTS FROM SAFELY RESTRAINING A CHILD IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE SOMETHING IN THE CABLE ASSEMBLY THAT LOCKS SHOULDER BELTS AFTER BUCKLE IS LATCHED. I WAS TOLD REPAIR WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND COMPLETE SEAT REPLACEMENT WAS MY ONLY OPTION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS FAILURE COULD PUT A CHILD IN SEVERE RISK IF IT HAPPEN DURING AN ACCIDENT. DT

MR

NHTSA RECALLS 97I001000 & 98V185000 INTEGRATED SEAT; OWNER HAS A PROBLEM DUE TO DEALERSHIP REPLACING REGULAR BENCH SEAT WITH AN INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT BENCH. OWNER IS AWARE OF RECALLS FOR INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT BENCH, BUT MANUFACTURER DECLINES DUE TO VIN. BUT WHAT ABOUT SEAT WHICH WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP? NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY MANUFACTURER OR DEALERSHIP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WITH THE CAR PARKED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE MY CHILD FROM THE INTEGRATED CHILD SAFETY SEAT OF MY DODGE GRAND CARAVAN. THE STRAPS ARE SUPPOSED TO PULL FORWARD FREELY, WHICH THEN LOOSENS THEM ENABLING THE STRAPS TO SLIP OVER THE CHILDS HEAD. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, I WAS UNABLE TO PULL THE STRAPS FORWARD AT ALL. I THEN MANAGED TO UNCLIP THE CLIPS WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM SIDES OF THE SEAT AND THEN JUST BARELY SLIP THE STRAP AND YOKE OVER HER HEAD TO FREE HER FROM THE SEAT. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION ABOUT THIS MATTER. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH PARTIES THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS OVER THE 3 YR./36,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT NEITHER WOULD HELP TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST SOMEWHERE AROUND $700.00 MAKING IT A VERY COSTLY REPAIR!!! I HATE TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF I WERE REALLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HAD TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE SEAT QUICKLY, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE BELT SEIZED OR FROZE UP LIKE IT DID UNABLING ME TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE!!*AK

WHEN USING THIS BOOSTER SEAT IN MY VAN, WHEN MY CHILD LEANS FORWARD, THE SEATBELT, WHEN PUT THROUGHT THE SEAT BELT GUIDES ON THE BOOSTER SEAT, BECOMES LOOSE AND SLACK. WHEN MY CHILD SITS BACK THE SEAT BELT GETS CAUGHT UP ON THE SEAT BELT GUIDE, AND THE SEAT BELT JUST HANGS LOOSE- THIS WOULD DEFINATELY BE A PROBLEM IN A CRASH. I'M SURE THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE JUST DID AN ARTICLE ABOUT CAR SEATS, AND THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT UP. I AM GOING TO BE CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER MYSELF- BUT YOUR HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.*AK

RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS OF INTEGRAL CHILD SEAT SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. BROUGHT IMMEDIATELY TO DODGE DEALER, WHO TOOK OFF THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE A TWISTED SEAT BELT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY WHICH HAPPENS WITH SEAT BELTS. THE REPAIR WOULD INVOLVE THE PURCHASE OF A $710 CHILD SEAT MODULE FROM DODGE PLUS AT LEAST AN HOUR OF LABOR. MY VAN HAD 500,500 MILES, 500 OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND WAS PURCHASED AS A DEMO. DODGE TOLD THE DEALER THAT THEY WOULD PAY HALF OF THE $710 AFTER I COMPLAINED I COULD PURCHASE A CHILD SEAT FOR MUCH LESS. I HAVE MOVED MY 18-MONTH-OLD TO THE OTHER SIDE, BUT I WONDER IS IT SAFE? WILL IT RESTRAIN PROPERLY DURING AN ACCIDENT? WHAT IF THE OTHER SIDE ALSO SPONTANEOUSLY STOPS WORKING WHEN WE ARE OUT, I HAVE NO OTHER IN THE VAN. I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH THESE SEATS UP UNTIL NOW, BUT I NEVER REALIZED HOW QUICKLY THEY COULD FAIL AND HOW COST PROHIBITIVE REPAIR WOULD BE. ANY INFORMATION YOU COULD PROVIDE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

THE HARNESSES ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD RESTRAINT SEATS DO NOT RESTRAIN MY CHILD AT ALL. SHE CAN SIMPLY WIGGLE HER SHOULDERS THROUGH AND CLIMB OUT. SHE HAS WIGGLED HER SHOULDERS AND UPPER BODY THROUGH SEVERAL TIMES AND BEEN STUCK AT THE HIPS. TWICE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING OVER 60 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE AND DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD COMPLETELY FREED HERSELF FROM THE RESTRAINT AND WAS WALKING AROUND IN THE VAN! THE HARNESS WAS STILL CLIPPED CLOSED, BUT LOOSE. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I NEED HELP FAST. MY DAUGHTER IS ONLY 17 MONTHS OLD AND I WILL HAVE ANOTHER BABY IN JUNE. *AK

HAD PLACED CHILD IS IN BUILT-IN CSS, HEARD THE MECHANISM MAKING A CLICKING SOUND; HARNESS STRAPS TIGHTENED UP WHEN TRYING TO GET CHILD OUT OF SEAT; WOULD HAVE TO CUT STRAPS TO RELEASE CHILD. (INVESTIGATION #EA 97 003). *AK