Investigations
LATCH CONNECTOR FAILURE
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE03045 - closed, opened 2003-10-01.
NHTSA investigation PE03045 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2003-10-01 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2004-01-08 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE03045 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON OCTOBER 1, 2003 BASED ON A SINGLE REPORT ON A ROUNDABOUT CHILD SEAT FROM A CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN. THE REPORT INDICATED THAT ONE OF THE TWO LOWER LATCH CONNECTORS (CONNECTOR) O..." 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
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON OCTOBER 1, 2003 BASED ON A SINGLE REPORT ON A ROUNDABOUT CHILD SEAT FROM A CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN. THE REPORT INDICATED THAT ONE OF THE TWO LOWER LATCH CONNECTORS (CONNECTOR) ON THE SEAT EASILY RELEASED AS IT WAS PULLED TO CHECK IF IT WAS PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE LOWER LATCH ANCHOR. NEW VEHICLES (CARS, MINIVANS, AND LIGHT TRUCKS) MANUFACTURED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2002 ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ANCHOR POINTS BETWEEN THE SEAT BACK AND THE SEAT CUSHION IN AT LEAST TWO REAR SEATING POSITIONS, AND A TOP TETHER ANCHOR (EXCEPT CONVERTIBLES). CHILD SAFETY SEATS MANUFACTURED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2002 ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A LOWER SET OF CONNECTORS THAT ATTACH TO THE VEHICLE ANCHORS. FORWARD FACING CHILD SEATS WILL ALSO HAVE A TOP TETHER STRAP THAT ATTACHES TO THE TOP TETHER ANCHOR. TOGETHER THEY MAKE UP THE "LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN" (LATCH) SYSTEM. THE LATCH CONNECTOR IS MADE BY INDIANA MILLS AND MANUFACTURING, INC. (IMMI) AND SUPPLIED TO BRITAX AND FOUR OTHER CHILD SEAT MANUFACTURERS (PEG PEREGO, DOREL JUVENILE GROUP (COSCO), TEAM TEX, AND XPORTATION SAFETY CONCEPTS, INC.) IN ITS NOVEMBER 13, 2003 RESPONSE, BRITAX STATED THAT IT HAD RECEIVED ONE CONSUMER REPORT WHERE ONE OF THE CONNECTORS WOULD NOT ATTACH TO THE ANCHOR. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY IMMI INDICATES THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM CONSUMERS OR THE OTHER CHILD SEAT MANUFACTURES. A SEARCH OF THE ODI DATABASE FOR ADDITIONAL REPORTS ON BRITAX AND THE OTHER MANUFACTURES REVEALED NO OTHER REPORTS OF CONNECTOR PROBLEMS. BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE AVAILABLE DATA AND THE NUMBER OF REPORTS, FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO-SAFETY RELATED DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
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.