NHTSA Complaint #10324534 — 2007 SUZUKI XL7

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2007 SUZUKI XL7 AND AT FIRST I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH GETTING INTO THE 3RD ROW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A NEED TO SEAT BACK THERE. BUT ONE DAY AS I TRIED TO RECLINE THE 2ND ROW SEAT TO GET TO THE 3RD ROW SEATING, THE SEAT WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO RECLINE WOULD NOT WORK. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO PULL ON THE LEVER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO RELEASE THE SEAT IT STILL WOULDN'T WORK. AFTER LOTS OF PUSHING ON THE SEAT AND PUNCHING ON IT FOR ABOUT 5 MINS., IT FINALLY RECLINED AND MY CHILD WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE 3RD ROW. AFTER OUR TRIP, I TRIED TO RECLINE THE SEAT SO MY CHILD COULD GET OUT BUT IT WAS STUCK AGAIN. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT MY CHILD WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE 3RD ROW AND BECAUSE SHE'S A TEENAGER, THERE WAS NO WAY SHE COULD CLIMB OVER THE SEAT IN FRONT OF HER OR OVER THE 3RD ROW SEAT TO GET OUT FROM THE TRUNK. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH THE SEAT AND CALLED THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. AFTER WHICH TIME THE DEALER CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THAT THE MODEL HAS A TENDENCY TO DO THAT. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN TO JUST KEEP PULLING AND PUSHING ON THE RECLINER SEAT AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IT DID THE SAME THING. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T EVEN SIT BACK THERE FOR FEAR THAT THE PASSENGER WILL BECOME TRAP. SO, THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET MY CHILD OR PASSENGER OUT OF THE 3RD ROW IN TIME. I REALLY WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALER KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT SEEM TO LOOK AT IT AS A MINOR PROBLEM. IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR ACCIDENT, HOW IS A PERSON SUPPOSE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO AVOID INJURIES? THIS IS SOMETHING I FEEL IS SERIOUS AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE LIFE THREATENING. *TR