SureRide wierdness-harness coming off splitter plate when installed

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #1

I just put my new SureRide in the Corolla (2004 or 5 I think). Center install, FF with the seat belt. La-de-dah, installing easy peasy, solid, think I'll go try to figure out the harness tightening button with no kid in it. So I push it in and pull out the harness all the way. I tighten. I do it again, ready to walk away. But:

the right side of the harness comes all the way out. The loop that should be on the splitter plate is in my hand.

I laugh. Silly tech! Out comes the seat, on goes the strap into the splitter plate, all flat. Seat goes in. I repeat the out and in of the harness.

It comes out again. Same side. I'm no longer laughing. I'm kind of looking around for the cameras and narrowing my eyes at this seemingly innocent seat.

Any idea what's going on here? I couldn't replicate it when the seat wasn't installed. I didn't try for a third time because I was needed inside. Weird fluke? Something funny with the Corolla's seat geometry pushing the strap out of the splitter plate? I do tend to pull harness straps out pretty far when putting kids in, but I didn't think that, like, wasn't allowed.

 

creideamh

Well-known member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #2

Re: SureRide wierdness

Uhhh... now I'm going to have to try this. Contact Evenflo? Does it happen when RF?

 

C

Cheek008

New member

• Apr 21, 2013

• #3

Re: SureRide wierdness

I had the same thing happen to me once. I took the seat out and fixed it, but I don't know how the strap could have come of the plate. It was also the right strap on my seat. The seat is in the passenger side of a 2004 Toyota Camry.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 22, 2013

• #4

Ok, you guys need to contact NHTSA ASAP. Also try to reproduce it. On video, if possible.

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 22, 2013

• #5

Re: SureRide wierdness

Yeah, report, complain, make a big noise. Britax had similar issues and the easy fix was plastic tabs on the splitter plate to keep the harness on, then a change in design to the single-slot plate.

 

whiteyacht

Active member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #6

Well, guess I continue to put off getting this seat. Yikes.

Sent from my phone. Please excuse typos.

 

M

mfrasier

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #7

That happened to me a couple weeks ago. I had just moved the straps and was in a rush so figured I was just going too fast. It was installed driver side Lexus RX is this only happening on Toyota based vehicles?

 

cryswilkins

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #8

Yikes. I will need to watch for this, we give these out as our program seats.

Sent from my iPhone and probably NAK, please excuse my typos.

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #9

Re: SureRide wierdness

Hmmm. So, Jennie (and others), what's the proper order in which to respond? Call Evenflo, make a video, then contact NHTSA? I don't really think Evenflo's CS reps are going to do much other than send out a new seat.

 

tiggercat

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #10

When you loosen the straps, are you loosening them both evenly, or do you pull more on one side? On some seats, if the splitter plate is uneven because of pulling one strap more than the other, the harness webbing can slide off of the splitter plate on the other side because of the angle of pull. I remember the Britax recall for the same thing, and iirc there was another seat with similar issues.
Report to NHTSA (I will never type or read that acronym without stifling a sneeze, lm4m) and Evenflo so they can fix that splitter plate.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

S

Stelvis

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #11

I would report to NHTSA, get the NHTSA case number, then call Evenflo with the case number. Make a video/take pictures for both entities.

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #12

Re: SureRide wierdness

Um, yeah, it's been 30 minutes and I've taken a video. I'm certainly pulling on one strap and then the other. That's what I've often had to do with a kid in the seat and a bag in the hand, so I think it's fair.

I'm a tech fool. Do you guys want me to put the video on YouTube? That'll take me some effort, but I can try.

 

tiggercat

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #13

KaiLing said:

Um, yeah, it's been 30 minutes and I've taken a video. I'm certainly pulling on one strap and then the other. That's what I've often had to do with a kid in the seat and a bag in the hand, so I think it's fair.

I'm a tech fool. Do you guys want me to put the video on YouTube? That'll take me some effort, but I can try.

Click to expand...

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong! I think sometimes they just don't consider actual use when they design the seats.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #14

Re: SureRide wierdness

tiggercat said:

I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong!

Click to expand...

I know I know! No worries, just explaining.

 

tiggercat

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #15

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #16

Re: SureRide wierdness

Aaaagh, there's no SureRide / Titan 65 on the NHTSA pull down list and you can't file an complaint without that! What do I do now? Call?

Video may be at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCH1GskemUA&feature=youtu.be

 

tiggercat

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #17

KaiLing said:

Aaaagh, there's no SureRide / Titan 65 on the NHTSA pull down list and you can't file an complaint without that! What do I do now? Call?

Video may be at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCH1GskemUA&feature=youtu.be

Click to expand...

Video is there. So it took what 5 loosening/tightening cycles to slip off? So not likely to be noticed at a clinic when the child is fitted.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

 

K

KaiLing

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #18

Re: SureRide wierdness

Yeah. That was the third time I've done it, and that was the most. First time it took 2. Second time it took... maybe 3? It's never not done it, though, no kid's ever been in it-- I was just trying it out.

 

S

Stelvis

New member

• Apr 22, 2013

• #19

I would call in that case.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Apr 22, 2013

• #20

I think there's a way to make a complaint without the exact model, but I don't remember how.

As stated, you can call NHTSA. I would contact them first, then Evenflo. If Evenflo wants to send you a new seat, great, but see if you can hold onto the old one in case NHTSA wants it.

Off to watch the video...