Investigations
Harness slippage
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA10005 - closed, opened 2010-07-02.
NHTSA investigation EA10005 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2010-07-02 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2012-06-25 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA10005 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "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..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
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
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.