Harness ripping?

NannyMom · Nov 22, 2009

Has anyone ever heard of a carseat harness ripping?

He's the bit of story I know- Woman I work with at church said this happened to a family she babysits for. Mom had just bought a new carseat. Someone rearended them, and the child's harness ripped from the force of the child's body. Mom thinks it was rubbing on something from the way it was installed

.

I gave her my card and asked her to please please have the Mnom call or email me, because it could be recall worthy (I mentioned that to highlight the seriousness, but I wonder if there was user error).

LISmama810 · Nov 22, 2009

Ripping through the shell, or just the harness tearing? I've definitely heard of the former, not the latter.

I almost wonder if it wasn't properly attached to the splitter plate and didn't actually rip, but slid out.

Is the kid ok?

I'd definitely be interested in hearing more details.

Judi · Nov 22, 2009

That could totally happen, if the harness was in a non re-enforced harness slot.

Oops, mis read.

steph_s · Nov 22, 2009

It is possible it was user error. What if her child was over the weight limit? If it was one of those 3 in 1 seats there is a possibility she put a 60lb child in the harness because "the box said it goes to 100lbs". I have seen this a lot, more times than I wish to actually! I think all of them need the weight limit posted on the straps like the Nauti.

There is also a possibility that the straps weren't attached properly. I have seen a few kids come into the ER after minor accidents with the parents complaining that the seat straps ripped right out, upon further inspection (they bring the kids in with the car seats around here if at all possible) the parents never attached the back of the straps to the adjuster plate so they were basically free dangling.

spokaneCPST · Nov 22, 2009

Possibly one of the Sceneras with the pointy parts underneath that can snag/puncture through the harness? Maybe the damage was not noticed until after the crash or was made worse by the crash

NannyMom · Nov 22, 2009

It was ripping, tearing. Not ripping through the shell. AFAIK the child is ok. I'll definitely post again when I get any info.

I was thinking maybe the child was too heavy, but wouldn't that just leave the harness ripping through the shell? I got the impression it was a low speed impact. So if a harness can hold a 40 pound child at 30mph, it should be able to hold a 50 pound child at 10mph. But the child was either her 1 or 3 year old (both FF I assume).

Harness ripping?

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