NHTSA Complaint #10205694 — 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY

AFTER PURCHASING THE EVENFLO TRIUMPH ADVANCE, I ATTEMPTED TO INSTALL IT IN MY 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY. AFTER USING THE LATCH SYSTEM TO INSTALL THE CHILD RESTRAINT IN THE FORWARD-FACING POSITION OF MY 2ND ROW CAPTAINS CHAIR, I WAS NOT ABLE TO USE THE TOP TETHER ON THE CHILD RESTRAINT. THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THE TETHER STRAP IS TOO SHORT. THE STRAP WAS AT LEAST 6-12 INCHES TOO SHORT, AND COULD NOT REACH THE TETHER ANCHOR OF THE ODYSSEY. WHEN I CALLED EVENFLO, THEY INFORMED ME THAT I CANNOT CURRENTLY ORDER A LONGER STRAP. SINCE THE HONDA ODYSSEY IS A VERY UBIQUITOUS VEHICLE, AND SINCE MANY RETAILERS WILL NOT ACCEPT RETURNS OF OPENED CHILD RESTRAINTS, I AM SURE THAT MANY, MANY PARENTS WILL SIMPLY FORGO USING THE TOP TETHER. THEY WILL GIVE UP. BUT THE TOP TETHER IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE. WITHOUT A LONGER TETHER ON THE EVENFLO TRIUMPH ADVANCE, MANY PARENTS WILL NOT COMPLETELY INSTALL THEIR CAR SEAT, AND MANY CHILDREN WILL BE LESS SAFE ON THE ROADS. EVENFLO SHOULD LENGTHEN THE STRAP ON THE TRIUMPH ADVANCE IMMEDIATELY. OR, AS A LESS DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE, THEY SHOULD PROVIDE A LONGER STRAP FREE OF CHARGE TO PARENTS WHO REQUEST ONE. *TR