Engineering Analysis EA10-005: Harness slippage

The Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) child seats that are the subject of this investigation are equipped with a center front adjuster (CFA) and were manufactured in 2008 and 2009. The CFA functions as a locking mechanism that locks the shoulder harness in an adjusted position.

After the harness of the child seat has been placed over the child's shoulders and buckled, it must be adjusted, or tightened, by pulling out on the tightening strap running through the CFA.The CFA is spring loaded to a normally closed position and the ?locking pawl (pawl) locks the harness tightening strap of the CFA in the adjusted position.

The pawl permits movement of the strap in the tightening direction only.

In order to release or loosen the harness adjustment, the pawl must be pressed down to open the CFA and unlock the adjusting strap.

DJG's CFA is not used by other child seat manufacturers.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation as PE10-009 on March 5, 2010 based on two reports from a consumer alleging the CFA would not securely lock the harness on two different model year DJG Vantage Point child seats.

Based on information provided by DJG and additional consumer reports received by ODI on other model DJG child seats that use the CFA, the investigation was upgraded to EA10-005 on July 2, 2010.

The scope of the investigation was expanded to include all DJG child seats manufactured in model years 2008 and 2009 equipped with the CFA.The consumer reports associated with the investigation allege the occupant harness slips while in use and becomes loose.

A loose harness increases the risk of injury in a crash.

There were no reports of CFA failure in a crash.

On February 10, 2011, DJG submitted a Defect and Noncompliance Information Report to conduct a safety recall (11C-001) of certain subject child seats to remedy a condition where the pawl does not fully engage the harness tightening strap in the CFA.The recall affects approximately 795,000 seats manufactured from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009 and includes the following models:Prospect, OnBoard, Alpha Omega Elite, Alpha Omega, Mico, Enspira, Priori, Vantage Point, Avenue and Uptown.

Seats of these models that were manufactured prior to May 1, 2008 and after April 30, 2009 are not included in the recall because the CFA was produced using a different process. ODI continued its investigation (EA10-005) as there were other models with a CFA manufactured from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009 that were not included in the recall scope.

These models include the Summit, Scenera, Hi Back Booster, Designer 22, Apex, and Touriva.

As part of this investigation, NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) conducted extensive evaluation and testing, including FMVSS 213 sled tests, on both recalled and non-recalled models.

The investigation did not reveal the existence of a safety-related defect trend in the CFA in the models that were not recalled. A safety-related defect trend in the non-recalled models has not been identified and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.

Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.

The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot/complaints under the following identification numbers: 10291755, 10341694, 10322923, 10362638, 10313028, 1026596, 10290085, 10317274, and 10346913.

Additional information is provided on the following pages.