NHTSA Complaint #10644399 — 2011 GMC ACADIA

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER EXCLAIMED THAT HER HEAD WAS "TOUCHING THE FRONT SEAT" AND HER "FEET WERE ON THE FLOOR". WHEN I (THE DRIVER) LOOKED BACK, I SAW THAT HER SEAT HAD DISLODGED AND EJECTED HER INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THIS CAUSED HER HEAD/FACE TO BE HITTING THE SEAT IN FRONT OF HER AND HER FEET TO BE ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I OBSERVED THAT THE SEAT (CUSHION PART - NOT THE BACK) HAD POPPED UP CAUSING MY DAUGHTER AND HER CARSEAT TO POP UP AS WELL. I COULD SEE UNDER THE SEAT AS I WAS TRYING TO POSITION THE SEAT INTO PLACE. I NOTED SEVERE RUSTING ON THE METAL SEAT TRACK/FRAME WHICH APPEARED TO BE THE CAUSE FOR THE SEAT TO UNHINGE OR UNLOCK. IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOCK THE SEAT BACK INTO PLACE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED, IF NOT DIED IF THE CAR HAD BEEN IN A CRASH. THE CAR SEAT EJECTED FROM SIMPLE DRIVING. THIS COULD HAVE HAD A TRAGIC ENDING. *TR