| Subject: | Integrated child seat belt lockup |
| Components covered: |
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| Investigations Summary: | This investigation was opened on Sep. 18, 1996. It was closed on Feb. 4, 1997. Odi continues to receive complaints alleging latching/retractor mechanism problems. Chrysler's assessment of the problem indicates that owners of the vehicles are not adhering to the cleaning requirements for the seat. The seat appears to malfunction if crumbs of food or beverage residue accumulates on the latching tongue in the"well" located between the child's legs. Odi has 19 complaints of retract lockup. Seven of these complaints report cutting the straps to remove the child. Two of the seven consumers allege the child was choking. Chrysler reports 60 owner/field reports which indicated 19 harnesses were cut to remove the children. Additional information is needed to fully assess the safety consequence of the alleged defect and to evaluate the Chrysler corporation's rational for not conducting a safety recall campaign. |
| Vehicles Affected by this investigation: |
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Defect investigation of seat belt retraction
Defect investigation of powered vehicle rollaway
Defect investigation of totally integrated power module failure