NHTSA Complaint #10070639 — 1997 VOLVO 850

INTEGRATED BOOSTER SEAT BROKE APART AT HINGE LINKING SEAT TO SEAT-BACK (SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED, BUT ONLY TO HOLD THE INTEGRATED BOOSTER SEAT IN PLACE). THE METAL HINGE BROKE INTO 4 PIECES AND COMPLETELY DISENGAGED FROM THE SEAT/BACK. THE SEAT WAS USED BY ONLY ONE CHILD, AND AT 55 LBS WELL BELOW THE WEIGHT LIMIT OF 80 POUNDS. THE INTEGRATED BOOSTER SEAT REMAINED IN THE BOOSTER-SEAT POSITION MOST OF THE TIME AND WAS NOT SUBJECT TO AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF OPENING AND CLOSING. THIS SUGGESTS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY AND EVEN THE LIFE OF A CHILD STRAPPED INTO THE INTEGRATED BOOSTER SEAT. IF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FAILURE WAS NOT NOTICED BY A PARENT AND THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH-IMPACT CRASH, THE SEAT COULD DISENGAGE FROM THE VEHICLE ITSELF, PROPELLING THE CHILD INTO SEATS OR WINDOWS.