NHTSA Complaint #10180946 — 2004 LEXUS RX

THE TOP LATCH STRAP PROVIDED ON THIS SEAT CANNOT BE TIGHTENED FIRMLY AGAINST THE VEHICLE SEAT. RATHER THAN PROVIDE A (NORMAL) TENSIONING DEVICE FOR THE TOP STRAP, THE MANUFACTURER ELECTED TO PROVIDE A DUAL LOOP STEEL PLATE. THE STRAP IS THREADED THROUGH THIS PLATE IN A RIDICULOUSLY COMPLEX MANNER, AND NO AMOUNT OF PULLING, TUGGING, OR TRYING TO FINAGLE ENOUGH SLACK THROUGH THE MULTIPLE LAYERS THE STRAP GOES THROUGH (TO ALLOW THE WHOLE STRAP TO BE PULLED TIGHTLY) ALLOW PROPER TENSIONING TO SECURE THE CHILD SEAT BACK TO THE VEHICLE SEAT. A FEW DOLLARS SAVED IN MANUFACTURING COST BY PROVIDING THIS PLATE RATHER THAN A TENSIONING DEVICE HAVE RESULTED IN A CHILD SEAT THAT CANNOT BE USED PROPERLY. THIS IS SIMPLY INCOMPETENT ENGINEERING. I RETURNED THE SEAT TO WAL-MART FOR A REFUND, BUT THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE SAME OPTIONS FOR RETURN, AND END UP INSTALLING THE SEAT IN AN UNSAFE AND INSECURE MANNER. NOTE THAT THE CORRECT MODEL OF SEAT WAS NOT SHOWN IN YOUR DROP-DOWN MENU, SO I HAD TO SELECT ANOTHER MODEL IN ORDER TO PROCEED. THE SEAT I'M FILING A COMPLAINT ABOUT IS A SAFETY 1ST BOOSTER SEAT MANUFACTURED BY DOREL JUVENILE GROUP. MODEL # 22-561-WAL. MANUFACTURED: P102 B 220565 09/22/06. THANK YOU. *NM