Component
CHILD SEAT:HANDLE (INFANT)
20 NHTSA complaints about child seat:handle (infant) issues across 13 makes and 17 models.
The child seat:handle (infant) is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 20 filings from 13 manufacturers and 17 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE with 2 filings, followed by HONDA ACCORD and CHEVROLET CAVALIER. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 2 |
| 2 | HONDA ACCORD | 2 |
| 3 | CHEVROLET CAVALIER | 2 |
| 4 | VOLKSWAGEN GOLF | 1 |
| 5 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 1 |
| 6 | SATURN SL | 1 |
| 7 | NISSAN ALTIMA | 1 |
| 8 | MERCURY VILLAGER | 1 |
| 9 | MERCURY COUGAR | 1 |
| 10 | GMC SIERRA | 1 |
| 11 | GMC ACADIA | 1 |
| 12 | FORD TEMPO | 1 |
| 13 | FORD F-150 | 1 |
| 14 | FORD EXPLORER | 1 |
| 15 | DODGE CARAVAN | 1 |
| 16 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 1 |
| 17 | BUICK SKYLARK | 1 |
Recent Complaints
This issues is regarding the front of the canopy. The base of the canopy clip, where it attaches to the car seat nearest the handle, has broken off pieces. These pieces have flow into the car seat whe
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS AN EDDIE BAUER 22-627 MTT (NA) CHILD SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE SEAT WAS TOO LOOSE AND FELT UNSAFE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE CHILD SEAT. THE PURCHASE DA
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS SECURED IN THE VEHICLE, THERE WERE TWO SCREWS THAT FELL OUT OF THE HANDLE INTO THE SEAT. THE SCREWS WERE FROM THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT HANDLE. T
FLIMSY SEAT HANDLE DESIGN BROKE OFF WHILE MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS HOLDING ON TO IT WHILE MANUEVERING THE AWKWARDLY SMALL SPACE TO GET OUT OF THE REAR SEAT, CAUSING HER TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AN
WHILE PLACING THE CHILD INSIDE OF THE CAR SEAT THE RED BUTTON COLLAPSED. AS A RESULT THE CHILD WAS NOT RESTRAINED SECURELY IN THE SEAT. *NLM
CAR SEAT HANDLE UNSNAPS AND BABY FALLS FORWARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER STATES, VEHICLE IS MISSING THE CHILD SEAT ANCHOR SYSTEM AND LATCH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE SUPPLY DOCUMENT IN YOUR POSSESSION AND PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. NLM
REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. IT TO WOULD BE HARD TO KEEP CHILD SEAT LOCKED IN PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
MY SPOUSE AND I BROUGHT AN EVENFLO CAR SEAT A YEAR AGO (APRIL 99). THIS CAR SEAT WAS IN WELL CONDITION UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS TRYING TO STRAP OUR SON INTO HIS CAR SEAT WHEN THE RIGHT REAR
KOLCRAFT MODEL # 871536R, DOM 07/16/1998:WHILE CARRING CHILD IN HAND CARRIER, HANDLE POPPED OUT OF POSITION ON ONE SIDE, AND MOVED A NOTCH OR TWO. *AK
EVENFLO CHILD SAFETY SEAT MODEL # 205105P1, DOM 02-OCT-1997: HANDLE FAILED TO LOCK UPON PICKING UP CARRIER. IF CHILD HADN'T BEEN BUCKLED IN, WOULD HAVE FALLEN ON GROUND, AS SEAT TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.*AK
LOCKING MECHANISM NOT HOLDING ROD ON BACK OF CAR SEAT. *YC
HANDLE ON CHILD SEAT SEPARATED FROM THE SEAT, CAUSING FAILURE WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN POSSIBLE INJURY. *YC
I AM HAVING A HARD TIME SECURING MY CHILD SEAT IN THE MIDDLE POSITION REAR SEAT. IT DOESN'T HAVE A LOCK ON THE 3 POINT BELT . I USED THE HARNESS RETAINER THAT CAME WITH THE CENTURY CAR SEAT WHICH HELP
WHILE CARRYING THE CAR SEAT BY THE CARRYING HANDLE, THE HANDLE BECOMES UNLOCKED, CAUSING THE CAR SEAT TO TILT FORWARDS. MODEL # 2032A6P2, DOM 6/27/97. PARENT WILL CONTACT EVENFLO ABOUT THE PROBLEM WIT
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN A SUDDEN STOP, THE MIDDLE LAP SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING PASSENGER TO MOVE FORWARD NEAR THE DASH AREA. ALSO, CAR SEAT IN MIDDLE REAR BELT, DOESN'T LOCK, CAUSING CAR
BUILT IN CHILD SAFTY SEAT LOCKS DO NOT WORK.THE PART THAT GOES OVER THE CHILD WILL NOT RETRACT TO RELEASE THE CHILD. *AK
WHEN BASE OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS INITIALLY INSTALLED, INFANTS HEAD FELL FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO MANUALLY HOLD INFANT'S HEAD UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO COMPLETELY REMO
LOCKING MECHANISM THAT SECURES THE CHILD'S SAFETY SEAT BECAME INOPERABLE, CAUSING THE TENSION BELT NOT TO RELEASE WHICH HAD TO BE CUT TO REMOVE THE CHILD. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.