NHTSA Complaint #729904 — 1994 DODGE INTREPID

INSPECTION OF THE SEAT SLIDING RAILS AND THE STATIONARY RAILS ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT FOUND THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM. FOUR PIECES OF PLASTIC WERE FOUND ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE SEAT. THESE PIECES WERE 5 & 15/16" LONG AND APPROXIMATELY 1/4" THICK. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BACK OF THE SEAT COULD BE LIFTED APPROXIMATELY 1/4" IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION. THESE PIECES WERE BROKEN FROM A PIECE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF THE STATIONARY SEAT RAIL BY 5 3/16" NUBS THAT ENGAGED MATCHING HOLES IN THIS STATIONARY RAIL. THIS WAS OBSERVED FROM THE REAR PASSENGERS AREA. THE PLASTIC PIECE WITH THE 5 NUBS IS 5 1/2" LONG AND HAS 5 TABS THAT SHOULD ATTACH TO THE AFORE MENTIONED PIECES. THIS WAS OBSERVED ON BOTH THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD SEAT RAILS. THESE PIECES PROVIDE A SLIDING SURFACE AND A SPACER TO TAKE UP THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE MOVING SEAT RAIL AND THE STATIONARY SEAT RAIL ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR. SIMULAR DEVICES WERE OBSERVED ON THE FRONT OF THE AFFECTED SEAT WHICH WERE NOT BROKEN. THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS CONDITION IS THAT THIS FREE APPROXIMATE MOVEMENT OF 1/4" COULD ALLOW MOVEMENT TO GENERATE, DURING AN ACCIDENT, AND CAUSE THE SEAT TO TEAR LOOSE AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR A FATALITY TO THE PASSENGER.