NHTSA Complaint #740643 — 2000 SUBARU FORESTER

WHILE APPROACHING A HIGHWAY TOLL BOOTH, I RAISED MY HIPS TO REMOVE MY WALLET FROM MY BACK POCKET. THIS OBVIOUSLY PLACED PRESSURE ON THE SEAT BACK, WHICH THEN SUDDENLY RELEASED AND RECLINED CAUSING ME TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. AFTER RETURNING THE SEAT TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION AND EXITING THE TOLL BOOTH, THE SEAT BACK AGAIN SUDDENLY RECLINED WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO PLACE MY WALLET IN MY BACK POCKET. IN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT HAD BECOME LOOPED AROUND THE SEAT BACK RELEASE LEVER. IN RAISING MY HIPS TO RETRIEVE MY WALLET, I EXERTED TENSION ON THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT, WHICH IN TURN PULLED UP THE LEVER AND RELEASED THE SEAT BACK. I HAVE NOTICED THE BELT LOOPED AROUND THE RELEASE LEVER ON AT LEAST ONE OTHER OCCASION. IT APPEARS THAT IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, THE BELT CAN BECOME LOOPED AROUND THE LEVER AND THEREBY CREATING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK