Drat Darn it! Tech Opinion please on tether damage.

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

Let me preface this by saying I do NOT want to buy a new seat. I love this seat and wanted to use it until the day it expires in august of this year and even then I wasn't sure what I was going to get.

J and booster full time were just not working out so I took the Young Sport out of the van to put back in the harness for S (35-6 lbs, 2 yrs).

I found these two tears? wear spots? in the top tether. They are each about 1/2 centimeter deep and all the way through. Thats not good right?

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

Recaro Young Sport Manual:

Regardless of wether you are using harness mode or booster mod, use the top tether AT ALL TIMES if your vehicle is equipped with top tether anchorages.

The "at all times" is bolded and in all caps in the manual.

I looked at the top tether and I can't even figure out where it attaches so I don't think it can be replaced. :crying:

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

And of course recaro is closed until monday....anybody?

mom2olivia · Apr 16, 2011

Do you have a spare of some sort to use until Recaro opens? Or you could probably use the tether until then. They say it has to be used and it would still offer some protection as opposed to none. But definitely call them first thing Monday AND report it to NHTSA.
Do you know what could have caused it?? Was it rubbing against something or is this from stress or...???

andre149 · Apr 16, 2011

I would call them... but personally, I'd be ok with using it until I got in touch with them if I didn't have a different seat I could use.

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

mom2olivia said:
Do you have a spare of some sort to use until Recaro opens? Or you could probably use the tether until then. They say it has to be used and it would still offer some protection as opposed to none. But definitely call them first thing Monday AND report it to NHTSA.
Do you know what could have caused it?? Was it rubbing against something or is this from stress or...???

I could borrow my mom's seat until recaro opens monday but I highly doubt they are going to replace something on a seat made 8/4/05. It actually has less than 4 months of life left.

Whats so puzzling is that it is halfway up the tether and laying on the flat back part of my seat. I took it out to switch to booster a week ago and didn't notice it then and I think I would have.

I thought about rats in my van *shudder* but with all the crumbs and gummies, etc laying on the floor, why climb up the seat to chew on the tether?

When I play with the edges and put a little pressure on them they unravel a little more towards the center.

NannyMom · Apr 16, 2011

I would NOT use that seat

LISmama810 · Apr 16, 2011

If it were the harness or adjuster I wouldn't use it, but for the tether I'd continue using it until I could talk to Recaro, at least.

skipspin · Apr 16, 2011

I'd use it based on the fact that it is tested without the tether, but I'd attach the tether even though it's damaged. Even if the webbing broke the attachment wouldn't be a projectile (the adjuster it hooked to the clip on the RYS, so it wouln't fly) and it would still reduce head excursion.

It totally stinks that it's tearing, though.

If they won't/can't replace the TA and you want to use it till it expires I have an idea, but I'll call you.

laudymama · Apr 16, 2011

I personally would not feel comfortable putting my child in that seat especially after reading that the more it is touched the more it unravels

Think about it from a few other perspectives, maybe that will help you decide what you think is best.....how would you feel if you saw someone else w/ this? What does your gut tell you? (Often 1st instinct and your gut don't steer you wrong). Finally, even though you want to get every last ounce of life from it, which is completely understandable, you would be buying a new one in a few months anyway and in the slim chance you were to get in an accident before then would it be worth finding out what would happen? At least this didn't happen a year ago

maybe Recaro will surprise you Monday and give you some sort of great deal!

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

I just inspected all of the other straps, etc and they all look fine except for this fuzziness down the center of the adjuster strap. Its on both sides. Is this ok?

djma · Apr 16, 2011

My seat was from 2007 and they replaced it. Just sayin.... :whistling:

Kat_Momof3 · Apr 16, 2011

the fuzzing looks fine... the chunks removed... no... I think the tether needs replaced... it could be from the tether adjuster (or it could be bites from a mouse)... I'd not stop using it unless you have a different seat on hand that you can put in in the mean time... simply because it's better than no tether at all... until you can get ahold of Gayle at Recaro.

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2011

Kat_Momof3 said:
the fuzzing looks fine... the chunks removed... no... I think the tether needs replaced... it could be from the tether adjuster (or it could be bites from a mouse)... I'd not stop using it unless you have a different seat on hand that you can put in in the mean time... simply because it's better than no tether at all... until you can get ahold of Gayle at Recaro.

Thanks, I think this is what I am going to do. I would have to drive to go get my mom's seat tomorrow. I don't have to drive S anywhere monday so I can call Gayle at Recaro that morning. If I have to get soemthing else its going to be a Nautilus next day shipped from Amazon and as far as I know I don't have to go anywhere tuesday either.

If I do have to somewhere and J is in school I can put C in the regent and S in the Nautilus.

Its just soooo freaky. I can't figure out how it happened.

ketchupqueen · Apr 16, 2011

A damaged tether is still probably better than none. I'd use it until they replace it. (Talked about tethers today a lot...)

Minnesota · Apr 17, 2011

I agree that I would continue to use the seat until hearing back from Recaro, unless you have a good spare that can be used in its place. The top tether is a supplemental restraint, not a primary one like the harness or LATCH strap/seatbelt. In a crash it would likely perform at least partially to reduce head excursion even if it did break all the way through, which to me seems unlikely.

Pixels · Apr 17, 2011

skipspin said:
I'd use it based on the fact that it is tested without the tether, but I'd attach the tether even though it's damaged. Even if the webbing broke the attachment wouldn't be a projectile (the adjuster it hooked to the clip on the RYS, so it wouln't fly) and it would still reduce head excursion.

I agree with this (except a tether that fails doesn't improve performance over an untethered seat).

Drat Darn it! Tech Opinion please on tether damage.

arly1983

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