NHTSA Complaint #11128636 — 2018 HONDA ODYSSEY

I WAS DRIVING MY ODYSSESY ON A CITY STREET AND APPROACHING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. AS I BRAKED AT THE RED LIGHT, MY YOUNG CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT PULLED THE BLACK STRAP RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, WHICH RELEASED THE MIDDLE SEAT TO SLIDE FORWARD. THE MIDDLE SEAT WITH MY SON IN IT (WHICH WAS THEN IN A FREE SLIDE MOTION) FLEW FORWARD WITH INCREDIBLE MOMENTUM AND SLAMMED HIS HEAD INTO THE FRONT SEAT. I NOW AM WATCHING HIM FOR SIGNS OF CONCUSSION AND MONITORING HIS FRONT TEETH WHICH LOOSENED UP. THE MIDDLE SEAT RELEASE SHOULD NOT BE SO ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG CHILDREN. IT SHOULD HAVE EITHER TWO POINTS OF ACTION REQUIRED TO RELEASE THE SEAT OR BE POSITIONED MORE OUT OF REACH FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. CURRENTLY THE STRAP IS SO CONVENIENTLY LOCATED WITHIN EASY REACH OF A CHILD IN THE REAR SEAT AND EASY TO PULL. WITH THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR A CHAIR TO BE ABLE TO SLIDE FREELY AND FOLD. THIS DESIGN FLAW SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL.