NHTSA complaint: GRACO MYRIDE 65 — CHILD SEAT:HARNESS/CROTCH BUCKLE
THE CHEST CLIP ON THE CAR SEAT DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. ONCE IT IS TOUCHED, IT OPENS EASILY AND MY SON FELL FORWARD AS THE CAR STOPPED. AS A ONE-YEAR-OLD, HE WAS ABLE TO BARELY TOUCH THE CLIP AND HAVE THE HARNESS STOP RESTRAINING HIM. WHEN I BARELY BRUSHED THE CHEST CLIP, IT OPENED UP AND MY SONS ARMS SLIPPED OUT OF THE RESTRAINT. WHEN I CONTACTED THE COMPANY, IT TOOK OVER TWO MONTHS BEFORE THEY SUPPOSEDLY SENT ME A REPLACEMENT PIECE. THE REPLACEMENT PIECE WAS EXPECTED TO BE DELIVERED IN "10 TO 20 BUSINESS DAYS" AND IT STILL HAS NOT ARRIVED 5 WEEKS LATER. THE COMPANY TOOK TOO LONG TO RESPOND AND EVEN JUST STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT PUT MY SON IN DANGER. I TRIED PUTTING A SHOULDER STRAP OVER THE CLIP AND MY SON VERY EASILY REMOVED THAT STRAP. HE LOVED THE FREEDOM OF NOT BEING RESTRAINED AND I FEARED FOR MY CHILD'S LIFE. I HAD NO OTHER CAR SEAT OPTION AND ONLY DROVE WITH MY SON IN AN EMERGENCY - INCLUDING ON MY WAY TO URGENT CARE WHEN HE WAS HAVING A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION. AT A STOP SIGN, MY SON FELL FORWARD AND THE STRAP CAUGHT HIS ARM, LEAVING A MARK. I ENTERED MY COMPLAINT TO THE COMPANY IN JANUARY, THEY DIDN'T CONTACT ME BACK UNTIL MARCH, AND BY APRIL I GAVE THE CAR SEAT BACK TO MY IN-LAWS WHO RETURNED IT (AS IT WAS A GIFT) AND GOT THEIR MONEY BACK. NOW I AM WITHOUT A CAR SEAT AND GRACO DID NOTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW UNSAFE THE NEW CAR SEAT WAS AND I'M SO DISAPPOINTED IN HOW MY SON WAS NOT RESTRAINED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation