NHTSA complaint: 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY — SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
UPON BUYING A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY, WE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE 2ND-ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LOCK AT THE SHOULDER/FRAME POINT (THE DEVICE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOCKING THE SEAT BELT IN PLACE SO AS TO RESTRICT FEED AND KEEP A PASSENGER FROM FLYING FORWARD.). THIS WAS NECESSARY TO PROPERLY ANCHOR OUR INFANT/TODDLER SAFETY SEAT. THREE DEALER EMPLOYEES TRIED TO PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE SAFETY SEAT, BUT DESPITE A METAL SAFETY-SEAT LOCKING CLIP ALSO BEING USED, THE SEAT BELT STILL LOOSENED UP WHEN THE INFANT/TODDLER SEAT WAS JIGGLED. THE DEALER EMPLOYEES GAVE UP CLAIMING THAT 1-INCH PLAY BETWEEN THE TODDLER SEAT AND THE VAN SEAT WAS LEGAL AND PROMISED THE BELT WOULD LOCK IN PLACE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND MY CHILD WOULD BE SAFE. ON THIS ASSURANCE, WE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE VAN. FOR OVER 3 YEARS I TIGHTENED THAT SEAT BELT ANCHORING THE SAFETY SEAT EVERY WEEK OR TWO. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST TWICE DURING THAT TIME WHEN THE VAN WAS IN FOR MAINTENANCE. THEY NEVER CHECKED IT OUT, ONLY TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY AS THE SEAT BELT WOULD WORK PROPERLY IF WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT. THE TODDLER SEAT WAS RECENTLY REPLACED WITH A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT USING THE SEAT BELT STANDARD OVER THE SHOULDER. ON JUNE 2, 2006, ON IMPACT WITH ANOTHER CAR, THAT SAME SHOULDER-BELT LOCKING DEVICE DID NOT ENGAGE. THE FEED TO THAT SEAT BELT WAS NOT RESTRICTED, AND AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE TO ENGAGE, MY CHILD, SITTING IN THAT 2ND ROW PASSENGER VAN SEAT WAS THROWN TOWARD THE FRONT SIDE SEAT
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation