My failed Superlatch has a new "retainer clip"

VIDEO ADDED My failed Superlatch has a new "retainer clip"

So, I went in the basement and got my "final solution" Superlatch strap that Russ sent me. It was the first replacement, the one that Susan originally told me didn't work because it was "from a defect box in the warehouse." It's not the one I made my original video with, that was my second replacement. After I made my video I sent all three back for "further testing," and then Russ sent me this one back. I don't know now whether the strap in my video had a retainer clip, because I didn't know to look for it at the time, but I can tell you the performance between each of the three had no difference.

I will make a new video today sometime of this strap, when I get a chance.

But here are the pictures. You will see a thin wire coming out on the under the inside of the tilt lock.

Anyone is welcome to use and reproduce these pictures to demonstrate what the retainer clip looks like.

Do they not claim that the retainer clips only started being used as of February 2011 ?

The DOM on that belt is significantly before that.

Yes, but they told someone on the phone yesterday that ALL of the replacement straps they sent out since February had been retrofitted with the new retainer clips (which explains why so many people received ones with older DOMs). So I went in the basement and checked mine. I didn't know to look for it before.

This is a C&P of the pertinent part of the email they sent me:

"The replacement SuperLATCH has a retainer clip inside that changes the release angle on the tilt lock mechanism. This change in release angle has generally resolved the issue for those that have received the replacement."

Here's my new video starring the "retainer clip":

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULM7Ahmui74"]YouTube - ‪Radian Superlatch Failure Retainer Clip.m4v‬‏[/ame]

Well, crap. I just emailed them yesterday about getting one of the "fixed" straps.

Well, maybe it will work for you. It seems to have for some people.

I told another member yesterday that I was actually glad that my van doesn't have LATCH where I need this seat for DD3. If only there were another seat slim as this to replace it... I would replace in a heartbeat! :thumbsdown:

andre149 said:

Well, crap. I just emailed them yesterday about getting one of the "fixed" straps.

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Me too. I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Dont hold your breathe. Even when they do send it, it will take forever. I've been waiting over a week and its not expected to get here for several more days.

NicoleCPST said:

Dont hold your breathe. Even when they do send it, it will take forever. I've been waiting over a week and its not expected to get here for several more days.

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Yeah I know. They sent me a strap before that is dated '09 and is exactly like the one I have. Not sure why they didn't just send me a "new and improved" one.

I would just add that my daughter ALWAYS hung her feet over the sides... in the Radian, she did this forward facing (as she was never able to rearface in that seat)... so it's not like this shouldn't have been considered when they designed their strap.

I'm not saying that all children will do it, I'm not even saying most... because all children are different and react differently... heck, my daughter, when mad, at that age, wouldn't have been kicking down at all... no, she would kick UP, at my face... but at some point, a number of children WILL do this... how many or few cannot be determined.

now in my mind, the fix is simple... make the tilt-lock (or whatever adjuster) be further from the latch connector... so it goes INSIDE the beltpath.

"what about uninstalling it?" the sk reps would say

"that is why the connectors are push-button latch!) (you would undo the connectors, then pull the strap out the other side, and loosen it as you normally would... to get it in you just sensibly have the strap for tightening long enough to ensure it doesn't get where you can't reach it for tightening.

"what about forward facing?" they will say That's the time to use the original latch strap.

And finally, after issuing this fix, STOP manufacturing the Radians and redesign them with RIGID latch for forward facing. have the new "fixed" strap I mentioned for rearfacing, rigid for forward facing.


ETA - why I didn't say simply change to push button? because a kid could still kick the button in question.

of course, now I thought of ANOTHER fix... a cute little box that has hinges to open and close it (and opens from the BOTTOM ( next to the connector, not by the child's toes) AND requires pushing little tabs (much like those on the base of a snugride, for example) to open it... it could go around the lock (tilt or push-button) and safeguard it.

cowgirlsmommy said:

Yeah I know. They sent me a strap before that is dated '09 and is exactly like the one I have. Not sure why they didn't just send me a "new and improved" one.

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Are you sure it doesn't have the clip thingy on the back? Because mine has a date of 09 too but it was retrofitted I guess.

Kat_Momof3 said:

ETA - why I didn't say simply change to push button? because a kid could still kick the button in question.

of course, now I thought of ANOTHER fix... a cute little box that has hinges to open and close it (and opens from the BOTTOM ( next to the connector, not by the child's toes) AND requires pushing little tabs (much like those on the base of a snugride, for example) to open it... it could go around the lock (tilt or push-button) and safeguard it.

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I actually have no concerns about using the push button latch on the Radian with my son. He wedges his toe into the tilt-lock and uses leverage to push it down. It's not all at once, it's repeated tapping over the course of a ride. Whereas I feel like the push button needs a sustained, very firm hold while simultaneously tugging on the belt to get it to loosen. Even if he could tap and release the push button, which I don't think he has the strength to do with one foot, it wouldn't appreciably loosen the strap I don't think. FWIW, he's not really doing it when mad, he's just doing it for something to do. He's a kicker -- has been since the womb!

The little box idea is cute! -- but it probably wouldn't solve the problem for people whose SL loosens on its own. It's still a problem with the angle of the webbing as it relates to the adjuster, and there's virtually no room for error with a base that narrow.

I agree, it wouldn't solve THAT problem, but it would solve the bigger problem of having a tilt-lock, or having children who CAN (and want to, as your sneaky son does) loosen the seat for kicks (kind of reminds me of the story of how when my dad got bored once, he took apart the phone and couldn't get it back together... or how my oldest bil took all the hardware out of the highchair when he was all of 2yrs old without his mother knowing it and she found out when she put him in it and... it collapsed...) perhaps he is trying to figure out how the seat works at it's most basic elements... and he'll be an engineer?

Lol well he does have compulsive tendencies, and an unnatural (for a two year old) desire for organization and cleanliness...this afternoon he sorted all the loose change and then washed it in the sink. So yeah, engineering could be in his future.

Kat_Momof3 said:

I
number of children WILL do this... how many or few cannot be determined.

now in my mind, the fix is simple... make the tilt-lock (or whatever adjuster) be further from the latch connector... so it goes INSIDE the beltpath.

Problem with this is that the adjuster doesn't hit the radian at the same place in different cars. The OP's adjuster hits almost at the bend, which is why I'm guessing her's is so easy to move, just like a lap belt that hits near the bend and we flip the female buckle to fix. The radian in the explorer that SK posted, the adjuster hit much further down, which is why I'm guessing they don't have the problems there. Latch can be really deep in the cushions or exposed or recline angle could change how latch is accessed. If it gets fixed for OP's car by placing the adjuster in the belt path, it'd likely place other people's right AT the path.


And finally, after issuing this fix, STOP manufacturing the Radians and redesign them with RIGID latch for forward facing. have the new "fixed" strap I mentioned for rearfacing, rigid for forward facing.

I like this idea. Rigid latch would be awesome. Too bad they can't figure out a way to do a folding rigid latch, where the latch would swing forward for rfing, and back for ffing.


ETA - why I didn't say simply change to push button? because a kid could still kick the button in question.

I have a push button on my old radian and it is a biznitch to get loosened. The button is quite hard to push and I don't see a stray foot being able to loosen it, as it takes me 2 hands sometimes when the latch straps are tight. When the straps are loose, it's much easier to do.

t.

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OP- I hope you continue to fight SK and they figure out a solution.

If anyone would like to do me a favor, you could post my new video on SKJP's Facebook wall. I'm blocked.

I would love to continue to fight them, but since the president of the company considers my matter closed, I'm not sure what recourse I have except to raise awareness.

Oh and I agree about the angle of where the adjuster is hitting. If you look at some other videos people have made, the adjuster sometimes hits lower down, but still at an angle to the base.

The base is just so short that 1-2 inches in variation between cars is enough to cause havoc. There's no margin for error at all.