Component
CHILD SEAT:HARNESS RETAINER/CHEST CLIP
39 NHTSA complaints about child seat:harness retainer/chest clip issues across 10 makes and 21 models.
The child seat:harness retainer/chest clip is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 39 filings from 10 manufacturers and 21 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 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the DODGE CARAVAN with 6 filings, followed by CHEVROLET VENTURE and PLYMOUTH VOYAGER. 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 | DODGE CARAVAN | 6 |
| 2 | CHEVROLET VENTURE | 6 |
| 3 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 5 |
| 4 | PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER | 4 |
| 5 | TOYOTA SIENNA | 2 |
| 6 | VOLVO XC90 | 1 |
| 7 | SATURN SL | 1 |
| 8 | PLYMOUTH BREEZE | 1 |
| 9 | MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 1500 | 1 |
| 10 | FORD EXPLORER | 1 |
| 11 | FORD ESCORT | 1 |
| 12 | FORD EDGE | 1 |
| 13 | FORD CONTOUR | 1 |
| 14 | DODGE INTREPID | 1 |
| 15 | DODGE GRAND CARAVAN | 1 |
| 16 | DODGE DAKOTA | 1 |
| 17 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 1 |
| 18 | CHEVROLET TRACKER | 1 |
| 19 | CHEVROLET CAVALIER | 1 |
| 20 | CHEVROLET ASTRO | 1 |
| 21 | BUICK LESABRE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a Graco Safety Seat, Model Number: 2203450, Model Type: N/A manufactured 04/11/2024. The contact stated that the safety seat was being used in a 2001 Chevrolet Tracker. The contact st
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge with a Maxi Cosi car set, Model Name: Magellan Lift Fit, Model Number: CC280GCB installed. The contact stated that while her daughter was using the car seat, she was
The contact, a car seat technician called to file complaint on behalf of the owner of an Inspired by Drive Safety Seat, Model Type: Spirit Plus, Model Number: CSS-2401M-SG, and manufactured February 2
The contact owns a Britax Safety Seat, Model Number: E1C387T, Model Type: One4life ClickTight, Manufacture Date: September 2020. The contact stated that while the safety seat was being utilized in a 2
I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA TO ONLY HAVE ONE TETHER RESTRAINT IN THE 2ND ROW. SO IF YOU HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS THEY BOTH CAN'T BE TETHERED IN THE 2ND ROW. ALSO THE PLACEMENT OF THIS
MY FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD CAN PULL THE SHOULDER HARNESS CLIP APART WITHOUT DISENGAGING (SQUEEZING) THE CLIP COMPENENTS TOGETHER. BOTH HARNESS CLIPS ON THE 2 INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS(FRONT BENCH) CAN BE PU
WE HAVE A BUILT IN CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT IN THE MIDDLE ROW OF OUR VAN. I NOTICED THAT THE CLIP THAT SITS BY A CHILDS CHEST DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. I COULD PULL IT APART BY GIVING A LITTLE TUG ON IT. I
TWO YEAR OLD CHILD IS ABLE TO REMOVE RETAINER CLIP AND GET OUT OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED CHILD SEAT ON THREE OCCASIONS; BUT, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVID
HARNESS CLIP DOESN'T STAY CLIPPED. SMALLEST TUG OF HARNESS STRAP THE CLIP COMES ON CLIPPED. *AK
CHOOSING CHILD SAFETY SEAT ON THE MENU BROUGHT ME TO THIS FORM...ANYWAY, CHILD SAFETY SEATS THAT DO NOT HAVE A MEANS TO ADJUST THE STRAPS WITHOUT REMOVING THE SAFETY SEAT FROM THE VEHICLE ARE UNSAFE.
HARNESS CLIP ON INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN EASILY POP LOOSE IF CHILD RAISES UP AND PUSHES OUT CHEST. A COMPLAINT WAS MADE TO THE DEALER FOR 2 YEARS OR MORE, WITH TIRST CHILD AND NOTHING WAS EVER DONE
WHEN ADJUSTING THE STRAPS ON THE ON MY WAY CARSEAT BY EVENFLO, THE ADJUSTER BAR PULLS OFF OF THE BACK OF THE CAR SEAT. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE FIRST CAR SEAT WE HAD MODEL #4471027P1 AND I CONTACTED EV
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. DURING THE CRASH, THE RETAINER CLIP FOR THE HARNESS ON THE CHILD SEAT CAME LOOSE AND RELEASED. CHILD RECEIVED NO INJURIES
MY DAUGHTER IS ABLE TO RELEASE THE CLIP ON THE FIVE POINT RESTRAINT OF THE NEW CARSEAT WE JUST PURCHASED. WE HAD THE SAME MODEL BEFORE BUT THE CLIP WAS DIFFERENT. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE CLIP REMOV
CSS HARNESS RETAINER CLIP LOCKS IN POSITION ON CHILD CORRECTLY, BUT CAN VERY EASILY BE PULLED APART. *AK THE RETAINER CLIPS ON THE BUILT IN CHILD SAFETY SEATS WERE EASILY PULLED APART WHEN PRESSURE
THE HARNESS RETAINER ON THE CARSEAT DOES NOT STAY ON THE ALPHA OMEGA CARSEAT. IT COMES OFF VERY EASILY, WHICH IN TURN MEANS THAT MY 9 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IS NOT PROTECTED PROPERLY. I CONTACTED COSCO TH
CHILD IS ABLE TO UNDO HARNESS CHEST CLIP JUST BY PULLING CLIP. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, HARNESS CLIP WILL EASILY COME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION.*AK
THE MECHANISM THAT RETRACTS SEAT BELT, HAS A RATCHET OPTION FOR CAR SEAT USAGE. DURING NORMAL DRIVING, THE MECHANISM TURNS INTO RATCHET MODE, TIGHTENING AND TRAPPING CHILD IN BELT. IT LEFT RED BURN
WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT CHILD SEAT HARNESS CLIP OPENED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, ADVISED THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. *AK *ML
RIGHT SIDE MIDDLE CHILD SEAT SEATBELT BECAME DISENGAGED WHEN TRYING TO STRAP CHILD IN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT WORK HAD BEEN DONE. CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE ANCHOR CLIP, AND CAN TEL
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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.