GMC/Chevrolet Owners - HELP

Hello Everyone,

I know that many of us own GMC and Chevrolet vehicles and I would like to ask for your help. I feel that GM is not properly outfitting their cars with LATCH and Top Tether systems. They are not installed for EVERY REAR seating position in their SUV's and I am not sure about their car models.

Here is what I am asking. Go to http://www.chevrolet.com/contactus/ or www.gmc.com depending on your car - have your VIN number handy - go to the Contact Us page and choose "I would like to report a problem that I am experiencing" - then enter your contact info where shown and in the NOTE section, ask them to improve their placement of LATCH and top tether to ALL REAR SEATING positions in ALL CARS and to offer a recall/retrofitting of all prior models to include at least the Top Tether for all seats.

I drive a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban. We can seat 7 passengers and I personally feel that I should be able to properly secure FIVE car seats in the back, without having to CHOOSE which children will have ALL of the necessary anchor points.

I am a bit of a safety freak and I can be very passionate when it comes to the safety of children. As you can see from my previous posts - I recognized a safety issue with the help of people in this group - I corrected it - and now I am looking to improve it even further.

So please help. Feel free to contact any other manufacturer as well - they should ALL be making these features available to ALL of our children!!!

Thanks for reading - thanks for replying - and most of all thanks for contacting the car manufacturers!!!

Alyson

FWIW, I don't worry about not having LATCH but I do want the top tether.

[The larger Chevy/GM sedans: Impala, Malibu, Grand Prix (I think) have LATCH in all three rear seating positions.]

While I appreciate your frustration and desire to create change, the vehicles ARE meeting current federal safety standards.

I think you are "barking up the wrong tree" in a sense. The manufacturers change when the federal standards change. Have you spent time at the NHSTA website?

I have not visited that site, but I will now.

I dont worry about LATCH either, but it would have been a nice feature if they had it in the right positions. Top Tether is my main concern and it just boggles my mind that there is only one tether for a 3 seat bench.

I always think that it is worth a try to make things change for the better. It is definately an uphill battle, but one worth fighting. Thanks!!

It's not just Chevy/GMC that doesn't have LATCH in all rear seating positions; most vehicles don't. They put in the bare minimum that they have to, by law.

Top tethers are the most important, IMO, because a seat can always be installed with a seatbelt, plus higher weight limit seats have to use the seatbelt after a certain weight anyway.

You are also fighting cost, unfortunately. The actual anchor itself costs very little, BUT EVERY anchor they put in a vehicle must be crash tested, and that's VERY expensive. So, to cut costs, they put in the bare minimum.

As an owner of a 2007 yukon xl denali with only one tether in the third row - I agree. I actually complained about this as part of the owners manual shows 2 tethers in the 3rd row. I am out of luck I will have 4 car seats in April and basically have to choose which of my children will not get a tether!

I disagree that it cost a hefty price to test the anchors as they (as well as latch) are included on the Canadian version which is manufactured in the same plant but ARE required by Canadian law.

I guess GM (an American company) feels the few cents to put the extra hardware in the American version is not worth the safety of our children. It would be nice if NHTSA required the same as its Canadian counterpart. Who do they think would I buy a 7/8 passenger car?

Can you tell I am a bit steamed!

I think with that info - that they can put it on the Canadian version - we should be able to convince GM to install a retrofit - it is only reasonable!!

I am so sad - but glad - to see someone else share my feelings on this issue. Please submit the owner request online - the more of us who ask for it - the better our chances are of getting it done. THANK YOU!!!!!!