NHTSA Complaint #10199340 — 2007 JEEP COMMANDER

I AM A CERTIFIED CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN. I ATTEMPTED AN INSTALL OF TWO BRITAX MARATHON CHILD RESTRAINTS (FORWARD-FACING) INTO THE OUTBOARD SECOND-ROW SEATING POSITIONS OF A 2007 JEEP COMMANDER. THE HEADRESTS IN THOSE SEATING POSITIONS SLANT FORWARD AND DO NOT ALLOW THE CHILD RESTRAINTS TO LAY FLAT AGAINST THE VEHICLE SEAT BACK. THE HEADRESTS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE REMOVED AND WILL NOT FOLD BACK (IF REMOVED, TWO METAL SPIKES STICK OUT VERTICALLY FROM THE VEHICLE SEAT BACK). I BELIEVE THIS ARRANGEMENT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF INCORRECT FORWARD-FACING CHILD SEAT INSTALLATIONS IN 100% OF ATTEMPTS IN THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT OTHER JEEP MODELS HAVE THE SAME HEADREST SETUP. I HAVE CONTACTED JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO ANSWER TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. *JB