ZephyrBlue
New member
Please read: Recaro's new answer to my lock-off problem
I just spoke w/Katherine Hubanks at REcaro. She confirmed that the lock offs are not supposed to lock the seat so that there is no movement whatsoever- only LATCH and top tether will make a seat immovable She did confirm that the manual was wrongly worded and has since been re-written to call them belt guides. She said that no lock off is designed to hold a seat completely tight, that there will always be some "give" and movement and that NHTSA does NOT require that a seat have lock offs. I told her that I was aware that NHTSA does not require lock offs, but if they come as part of the seat design, doesn't NHTSA require that they function how they're designed and described in the manual. She gave me an emphatic NO as an answer. SHe wants me to take pictures of the belt in the lock off and see if there is a gap or space in between the belt and lock off. I told her that there isn't really any space, per se, but that the clip just does not "lock" and hold the belt in place. The belt literally just slips through the lock off. She said that if there is a gap that I can show with a picture, they will send me a new seat. I asked her what will happen if there is no discernable gap; she said that she and Daniella, the engineer, will both call me back and walk me through some things to try and get it to work.
Techs, what can I do? I have a manual that expressly states that these things are lock offs made to secure a non-locking vechicle seat belt, telling you to "press down on the other armrest and again tighten the shoulder section of the seat belt through the forward-facing lock-off. Repeat as needed until the Como cannot be moved more than one inch in any direction at the vehicle belt path"
I'm really really upset. They are trying to talk around this whole thing, IMO. I haven't filed a complaint w/NHTSA yet, I wanted to talk w/a manager (or anyone but Gayle) first. What should I do? What is NHTSA's stance on manuals, etc?? Even though the manual has been re-written, doesn't my seat have to function according to my manual? What will sending me a new seat with the same crappy lock offs do if the new manual says that they are indeed not lock offs? Please give me some input
I just spoke w/Katherine Hubanks at REcaro. She confirmed that the lock offs are not supposed to lock the seat so that there is no movement whatsoever- only LATCH and top tether will make a seat immovable She did confirm that the manual was wrongly worded and has since been re-written to call them belt guides. She said that no lock off is designed to hold a seat completely tight, that there will always be some "give" and movement and that NHTSA does NOT require that a seat have lock offs. I told her that I was aware that NHTSA does not require lock offs, but if they come as part of the seat design, doesn't NHTSA require that they function how they're designed and described in the manual. She gave me an emphatic NO as an answer. SHe wants me to take pictures of the belt in the lock off and see if there is a gap or space in between the belt and lock off. I told her that there isn't really any space, per se, but that the clip just does not "lock" and hold the belt in place. The belt literally just slips through the lock off. She said that if there is a gap that I can show with a picture, they will send me a new seat. I asked her what will happen if there is no discernable gap; she said that she and Daniella, the engineer, will both call me back and walk me through some things to try and get it to work.
Techs, what can I do? I have a manual that expressly states that these things are lock offs made to secure a non-locking vechicle seat belt, telling you to "press down on the other armrest and again tighten the shoulder section of the seat belt through the forward-facing lock-off. Repeat as needed until the Como cannot be moved more than one inch in any direction at the vehicle belt path"
I'm really really upset. They are trying to talk around this whole thing, IMO. I haven't filed a complaint w/NHTSA yet, I wanted to talk w/a manager (or anyone but Gayle) first. What should I do? What is NHTSA's stance on manuals, etc?? Even though the manual has been re-written, doesn't my seat have to function according to my manual? What will sending me a new seat with the same crappy lock offs do if the new manual says that they are indeed not lock offs? Please give me some input
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