Do I need to stop using this seat immediately?

thtr4me · Sep 27, 2012

We took DH's car and both kiddos this morning to drop DS1 off at school. When we left to come home DH had me look at DS2's seat. It is a Britax BLVD 65, expires in April 2013. At the front of the seat where you pull the strap to tighten, is a locking mechanism. You pull it up to loosen the harness. When it is tightened, it is supposed to stay rotated down and locked. Once the harness straps are all the way tight, the locking mechanism is not rotating back down all the way. I can push it down, or give a tug on the harness straps from inside the seat, and it will rotate down and lock.

I am not comfortable with this at all, and have started shopping for a replacement. But do I need to stop using the seat immediately? I have a seat in our third vehicle that can be used in the interim if that is necessary. DH is gone for 4 days, so seat is with him in his car and not in use right now.

Thanks mamas! I was hoping this seat would make it to April, or at least until after Christmas. I will not spend money on replacement parts for a seat that expires so soon.

hrice · Sep 27, 2012

I would discontinue use. If the mechanism isn't working properly it could disengage in a crash and allow slack in the harness.

Kecia · Sep 27, 2012

Since you have another seat that you can use instead, I think that would be the way to go in this case. However, at the very least give Britax customer service a call and let them know what's happening with your seat.

thtr4me · Sep 27, 2012

Thanks, I will stop using the seat, and have DH move the other seat to his car.

I think I will wait until DH gets home to call Britax. I want to be able to pull all the numbers off the seat, as that really helps when calling in.

safeinthecar · Sep 27, 2012

You may just have some junk in there making the a-lock (the thing you are referring to) stick. Try cleaning all around it with a pipecleaner.

thtr4me · Sep 27, 2012

I will look, but what is really weird is that it will lock at all times except when the harness straps are all the way tight. If I loosen the straps, it will lock. Maybe the harness height needs to come up some. I will double check that as well.

Cryssy Jane · Sep 27, 2012

safeinthecar said:
You may just have some junk in there making the a-lock (the thing you are referring to) stick. Try cleaning all around it with a pipecleaner.

a pipecleaner!!! That's GENIUS!! I'm going to have to put that one in the back of my head.

NannyMom · Sep 27, 2012

Is there fuzzing on the sides of the harness adjuster strap? A friend has a Marathon that expires Dec 2012 and I noticed a year or 2 ago that hers was doing that. Britax told us it was fine. I told my friend to ALWAYS make sure it's pushed down. I saw there was fuzzing on hers and figured that may have something to do with it. Though, if it was my seat and my child, I'm not positive I'd feel comfortable using it, and I certainly wouldn't let anyone else use it with my kid (for fear they may forget to push it down)

thtr4me · Sep 27, 2012

Yep, harness straps have lots of fuzzing. I think they may be the original straps.

Do I need to stop using this seat immediately?

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