NHTSA Complaint #756055 — 1995 TOYOTA COROLLA

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY [XXX] OLD CHILD INTO HER CARSEAT. SHE WAS WEARING A WINTER COAT SO I WENT TO ADJUST THE SHOULDER STRAPS TO FIT HER MORE COMFORTABLY. I PULLED ON THE APPROPRIATE STRAP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CARSEAT WHICH STATES TO "PULL TO LOOSEN STRAPS". AS I DID THIS, I TUGGED ON THE LEFT SHOULDER STRAP TO LOOSEN AND THE ENTIRE STRAP CAME UNDONE FROM THE BACK OF THE METAL CLIP THAT HELD IT IN PLACE. THIS IS LOCATED IN THE BACK OF THE CARSEAT. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS OCCUR IN THE PAST. WE REMOVED THE CARSEAT FROM MY VEHICLE AND WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS CARSEAT AND THE STRAPS WERE SECURED CORRECTLY TO BEGIN WITH. THE METAL CLIP THAT HOLDS THE SHOULDER STRAPS HAS A LARGE GAP THAT THE STRAP SLIDES ONTO. WE FEEL THIS GAP IS LARGER THAN IT SHOULD BE OR THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I PURCHASED THE CARSEAT FROM THE ROCKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AT THEIR CAR SEAT SAFETY CHECK DURING THE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THEM AND THEY PUT ME IN TOUCH WITH [XXX] ([XXX]) WHO IS THE COORDINATOR OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT COALITION. SHE NOW HAS THIS CARSEAT IN HER POSSESSION. SHE EXAMINED THE METAL CLIP AND STATED SHE FELT THE "GAP" THAT THE STRAP HOOKS INTO WAS LARGER THAN ANY OTHER SHE HAS SEEN. SHE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH YOU AND GAVE ME YOUR WEBSITE AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT YOU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I AM RELIEVED THAT THE STRAPS RELEASED FROM THE METAL CLIP WHEN I WAS PARKED AND NOT WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE VERY UPSET THAT THIS OCCURRED AT ALL AND WONDER IF IT WAS THIS EASY FOR THE STRAP TO COME OFF - THEN WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE CONTACTED WENDY SCHINDLER AND NOW YOUR ORGANIZATION TO PREVENT A CHILD FROM BEING INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE CONTACT ME W/ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).