NHTSA Complaint #10371808 — 2010 MAZDA RX-8

MY STEPDAUGHTER PLACED HER INFANT/CARSEAT IN THE REAR SEAT OF OUR 2010 MAZDA RX-8. SHE REACHED FOR THE CLOSEST SEATBELT (THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FRONT SEATBELT) AND LATCHED THE CAR SEAT IN PLACE. AFTER SHE SAT DOWN IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, SHE REALIZED HER MISTAKE. THREE PEOPLE ATTEMPTED TO PRESS THE BELT RELEASE HOWEVER ALL OF US FAILED. ALSO, THE BELT ROLLED IN AS IT'S DESIGNED TO SO I COULD NOT GATHER ENOUGH SLACK TO TAKE THE INFANT OUT WHILE IN THE CARSEAT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE HER INFANT FROM THE CARSEAT, AND THEN I FORCIBLY REMOVED THE CAR SEAT. THE SEATBELT IMMEDIATELY ROLLED BACK AGAIN AS IT'S DESIGNED TO DO SO NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED, I COULD NOT GET THE SEAT BELT RELEASED. I TOOK THE MAZDA TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD HAVE TO BREAK THE SEAT BUCKLE IN ORDER TO FREE THE BELT. I WOULD THEN HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW BUCKLE SINCE IT WAS OPERATOR ERROR RELATED. I COUNTERED BY ASKING WHY THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT AND REAR BUCKLES WERE SO SIMILAR CITING A PROBABLE SAFETY ISSUE. IN FACT, THE INFANTS MOTHER WAS TRAVELING AS A PASSENGER AND ONLY REALIZED THE PROBLEM WHEN SHE REACHED BACK FOR HER PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. SHOULD SHE HAVE BEEN THE DRIVER, SHE MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER AND REMAINED STEADFAST WITH THEIR DECISION. THEY BROKE THE BUCKLE , AND IT WAS REPLACED. *TR