NHTSA Complaint #10565002 — 2011 HONDA ODYSSEY

MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SITTING IN THE 3RD ROW PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. SHE WANTED TO GET A BLANKET OUT OF THE TRUNK WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE SHE WAS COLD. SHE UNBUCKLED AND TURNED TO LEAN OVER THE THIRD ROW SEAT INTO THE TRUNK. SHE INADVERTENTLY HAD HER NECK CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT WHICH WAS NOT BUCKLED BUT STILL SUSPENDED FROM THE MID-LINE OF THE CAR. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED IN PLACE AND BECAME LIKE A NOOSE AROUND HER NECK. MY 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT FROM THE BOTTOM. I WAS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. I CLIMBED INTO THE BACK SEAT, LIFTED HER UP AND CALLED TO MY HUSBAND TO PULL OVER. THE SEAT BELT KEPT TIGHTENING BECAUSE IT WAS INAPPROPRIATELY IN THE LOCK POSITION. THE MECHANISM TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE, IT REQUIRES A SMALL TOOL. MY HUSBAND STOPPED THE CAR RAN AROUND BACK LIFTED MY DAUGHTER AND TRIED TO PULL DOWN ON THE SEAT BELT, BY THIS TIME SHE HAD BURST MULTIPLE BLOOD VESSELS IN HER FACE AND EYES. SHE WAS PASSING OUT. I KEEP A SMALL POCKET KNIFE IN THE CAR FOR EMERGENCIES AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT AND CUT THE SEAT BELT OFF FROM THE MID-LINE NEAR THE CEILING. MY DAUGHTER SUFFERED CONTUSIONS AROUND HER NECK, BROKEN BLOOD VESSELS IN HER FACE AND EYES AND A HOARSE VOICE FOR TWO DAYS. THANK THE LORD SHE IS YOUNG ENOUGH TO HAVE A SOFT AIRWAY OR SHE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE SUFFOCATED. UNFORTUNATELY HONDA MOTORS WAS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE TO MY CALL ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL DESIGN FLAW. I ALSO OBSERVED ON THE INTERNET THAT TWO OTHER PARENTS HAVE MADE THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT WITH A 4 YEAR OLD AND 10 YEAR OLD CHILD TO CONSUMER REPORTS. I BELIEVE BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT COULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM THE BOTTOM (VIA AN ORANGE RELEASE BUTTON) THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER FROM THIS SEAT BELT. THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THIS SEAT BELT MECHANISM CHANGED OUT. *TR