2012 NISSAN LEAF Seat Belts Problems

PAGE 1-21 OF THE 2012 NISSAN LEAF OWNER MANUAL HAS AN ILLUSTRATION OF A FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INCORRECTLY INSTALLED, WITH THE CAPTION "LATCH WEBBING-MOUNTED ATTACHMENT". THE ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE FORWARD-FACING CONVERTIBLE CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLED WITH THE LOWER ANCHORAGE FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR STRAP (LATCH WEBBING) ROUTED THROUGH THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. NO WEBBING IS ROUTED THROUGH THE FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT BELT PATH. THIS ILLUSTRATION MAY SUGGEST TO USERS THAT THIS IS HOW TO ROUTE THE "LATCH WEBBING" IN A FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT ILLUSTRATION, WHICH MAY LEAD TO INJURY. THIS ILLUSTRATION IS COMMON TO MANY MODELS OF 2003 AND LATER NISSAN VEHICLES, NOT JUST THE LEAF. *TR

WITH THE CAR PARKED AND ALL SEATS UPRIGHT, I FOUND THE CENTER REAR SEATBELT RETRACTOR LOCKED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO USE THE SEATBELT. I FOLDED THE SEAT DOWN, THEN BACK UP, AND IT WAS LOCKED TIGHTER. MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER REPLACED THE BELT FREE OF CHARGE THE NEXT WEEK. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THEY SERVICE SEVERAL LINES OF CARS, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, AND OCCASIONALLY SEE SEATBELT RETRACTORS LOCKED UP IN SEVERAL LINES OF CARS. *TR

THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLES REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES PROHIBITS SUCCESSFUL BUCKLING OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS. *TR