NHTSA complaint: 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ON NOV 2ND, MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER INSERTED HER FINGER INTO THE BUCKLE OF THE SEAT BELT NEXT TO HER. HER FINGER BECAME LODGED INTO THE OPENING AND WOULD NOT COME OUT. SHE WAS HYSTERICAL AND BECAME ILL IN THE BACK SEAT. WE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO REMOVE HER FINGER. IT WAS TOO SWOLLEN. WE HAD TO CONTACT THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT OUT OF THE CAR. THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT THE BUCKLE OF HER FINGER, WHEN A INGENIOUS FIREMAN DECIDED TO WRAP HER FINGER WITH DENTAL FLOSS. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE HER FINGER FROM THE BUCKLE. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT HONDA ENGINEERS HAVE DESIGNED A SEAT BELT WITH SUCH A SMALL OPENING IN WHICH A CHILD'S FINGER COULD BECOME STUCK. I HAVE NOTICED ON SOME OTHER VEHICLES THAT THIS HOLE IS MUCH LARGER. GRANTED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A CHILD SHOULD NOT DO, BUT AT THE AGE OF 5 THEY DO NOT KNOW ANY BETTER. WE SINCERELY BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE REDESIGNED SO AS TO AVOID THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAD WITH THIS. **** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****769326.*AK *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation