BRITAX 101 (FREEWAY) Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HARNESS RELEASE BUTTON IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE CHILD. WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED, THE STRAPS RELEASE AND THE CHILD BECOMES UNSECURED. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THEY HAD RECEIVED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, BUT THERE WAS CURRENTLY NO RECALL OR REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE CHILD SEAT IS A BRITAX MARATHON, THE MODEL NUMBER AND DATE OF MANUFACTURER WERE UNKNOWN BY THE CONTACT.*AK

THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT HARNESS BUCKLE MALFUNCTIONED. IT EITHER UNFASTENED AFTER BEING BUCKLE, OR WOULD NOT BUCKLE IN PLACE. *JB

BRITAX FREEWAY MODEL # 101 E-900023 AND E-9000231181, DOM 01-FEB-2000; BUCKLE BETWEEN THE CROTCH COULD BE EASILY BE OPENED BY CHILD. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

THE BUCKLE CAN BE OPENED BY LIFTING UP ON THE PUSH BUTTON, THE CONSUMER FEELS THE SAFETY SEAT IS UNSAFE FOR USE. (BRITAX FREEWAY 101-93 MANUFACTURED 26-AUG-1998). NLM

MY 17 MONTH OLD INFANT WAS THROWN FROM HER BRITAX INFANT CAR SEAT AFTER UNHOOKING THE RESTRIANT HERSELF. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME SHE HAD UNHOOKED THE SEAT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE BRITAX INFANT RESTRAINT WAS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND I HAD CHECKED TO BE SURE IT WAS TIGHTLY SECURED. INQUIRIES AT AREA RETAILERS AND SPEAKING WITH BRITAX INDICATE THAT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR YOUNG TODDLERS TO LEARN HOW TO OPEN THESE RESTRAINTS. IT IS A SEVERE DESIGN DEFECT IN AN INFANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM THAT MAY LEAD TO DEATH OR GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS.

BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CAR SEAT. OUR 20 MONTH OLD SON CAN EASILY UNBUCKLE THE RESTRAINTS, THUS RENDERING THE SEAT USELESS AND UNSAFE. THE RELEASE BUCKLE SHOULD BE OUT OF REACH OF THE CHILD, E.G., ON FRONT OF SEAT BETWEEN AND BEHIND CHILD'S FEET/LOWER LEGS. OF NOTE, ON BRITAX'S OWN WEBSITE, THEIR #1 "FAQ" SPECIFICALLY INVOLVES THIS PROBLEM AND THEIR SUGGESTION IS "PARENTAL DISCIPLINE". WITH A 20 MONTH OLD, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE AND WE ARE REPLACING THE SEAT WITH ANOTHER MANUFACTURER'S SEAT THAT HAS A HARDER TO REACH RELEASE BUCKLE. *AK

TWO YEAR OLD CHILD IS ABLE TO UNBUCKLE THE COMPOUND BUCKLE OF THE CAR SEAT. IF THE CHILD WOULD SLIDE DOWN IN THE CAR SEAT, THE CHILD WOULD BE CHOKED BY THE CHEST CLIP. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PARENT WAS TOLD TO TEACH CHILD NOT TO UNBUCKLE THE CAR SEAT. *AK

CONSUMER'S TWO-YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE MECHANISM ON THE HARNESS STRAPS THAT HOLD THE CHILD IN. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE SEAT HAS A MECHANISM THAT WORKS LIKE A LOCKING CLIP THATS CONTINUEOUSLY FAILS, AND LETS THE SEATBELT LOOSE FROM THE SEAT. *AK

WHEN EVER TRYING TO LATCH HARNESS TO CHILD SEAT, IT FAILS TO REMAIN LOCKED. REAL EASY TO RELEASE. HAD TROUBLE LOCKING BEFORE. NOW CAN NOT LOCK AT ALL. MODEL #101 DOM 11/97. MJS