NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE04024

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON MARCH 11, 2004, BASED ON SEVEN CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING THE SEAT PORTION OF THEIR REAR FACING INFANT CAR SEAT SEPARATED FROM ITS BASE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST, EVENFLO PROVIDED INFORMATION ON AN ADDITIONAL 52 REPORTS THAT INCLUDED 21 INJURIES AND SIX FATALITIES.ODI COMPLAINTS THAT WERE DUPLICATED IN EVENFLO'S RESPONSE WERE REMOVED FROM THE ODI COLUMN IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY.ODI CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THE ODI DATABASE, TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH COMPLAINANTS, REVIEWED REAL-WORLD CRASH EXPERIENCE THROUGH MANUFACTURERS REPORTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, POLICE ACCIDENT REPORTS, AND INSPECTED CRASH SEATS.BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE AVAILABLE DATA, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS ATTACHED.