BRITAX 161 (ROUNDABOUT) Complaints

I HAD A 1996 HONDA ACCORD STATION WAGON. I HAVE AN INFANT WHO NEEDS TO BE REAR FACING IN HER CAR SEAT. THERE ARE NO TETHER ANCHORS FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR A REAR FACING INFANT CAR SEAT IN THE REAR SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. *NLM

BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CAR SEAT. 2 YEAR OLD SON CAN UNBUCKLE 5 POINT HARNESS SEAT BELT IN SEAT. IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. CAR SEAT IS RATED UP CONVERTIBLE CAR SEAT RATED UP TO 40 LBS. *NLM

BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CONVERTIBLE CAR SEAT MANUFACTURED IN SEPT. 2001--MY 20 MONTH, UNDER 30 LB. DAUGHTER CAN UNDO THE 5-PT. HARNESS BUCKLE. *JB

MY TWO YEAR OLD UNFASTENED THE CAR SEAT METAL BUCKLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY. SHE IS ABLE TO PUSH THE RED BUTTON SO THAT THE PIECE THAT SECURES THE BELT TO THE BUCKLE POPS OPEN. THE SEAT IS MADE FOR CHILDREN UP TO 40 LBS, MY DAUGHTER WEIGHTS 31 OR 32 LBS. I PANICKED. I RETRIED THE SEAT, AND--SURE ENOUGH--CHLOE COULD PUSH THE BUTTON UNTIL IT POPPED OPEN. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A GAME. WHEN I CONTACTED THE COMPANY ON 4/2/2003, THEY WERE NONCHALANT AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY, SAYING IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE, THAT THEIR SEATS WERE NOT "CHILD PROOF", AND THAT I COULD RECEIVE FROM THEM A PLASTIC PIECE TO PUT OVER THE BUCKLE/FASTENER. WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT MY DAUGHTER UNTIL I RECEIVED THE PART, THEY OFFERED NO RECOURSE. I WAS FLABBERGASTED. I CALLED THE RIGHT START STORE WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR SEAT, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD THE PIECE. I DROVE THERE, RETRIEVED THE PIECE, BUT FIND IT AN UNACCEPTABLE WAY TO USE THE CAR SEAT. I CALLED BRITAX AGAIN TODAY TO COMPLAIN, ONCE AGAIN THEY WERE UNRESPONSIVE AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WOULD REPLACE WHAT I CONSIDER A FAULTY, DEFECTIVE CAR SEAT. NO TWO YEAR OLD SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF A CAR SEAT AND--IF THE COMPANY KNEW THIS COULD HAPPEN (E.G. THEY HAVE A SPECIAL PIECE) THEN AT THE VERY LEAST PARENTS SHOULD BE WARNED OF THAT POSSIBILITY--NOT HAVE IT COME AS THE SHOCK OF THE SEASON WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. I PAID OVER $200 FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE BEST AND SAFEST CAR SEAT. AND, THAT IT WAS WHAT I WANT FOR MY DAUGHTER (THE BABY OF FIVE CHILDREN, I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE WITH THE OTHERS!)*JB

WE TOOK OUR BRITAX ROUNDABOUT CARSEAT FOR A CARSEAT INSPECTION BY A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN AND HE DETERMINED THE CARSEAT WAS BROKEN, THE RECLINE LEVER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT DOES NOT LOCK IN EITHER THE RECLINE OR UPRIGHT POSITION. THE CARSEAT HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, NOR WAS THERE ANY DAMAGE TO THE SEAT TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CARSEAT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BRITAX THEREFORE WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS AND/OR BE A DESIGN PROBLEM. *JB

CONSUMER CALLED COMPALININ ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCK SYSTEM ON THE CAR SEAT AS THAT THE CHILD CAN RELEASE THIS AND IS ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE CAR SEAT. TS

CRACK IN THE BASE OF THE CHILD SEAT. SEAT IS ONLY 4 MTHS OLD. CONTACTED MAUFACTURER. CONSUMER STATES SEAT WAS INSTALLED BY A CHILD SEAT TECHINCIAN. MODEL#E900240. MFT DATE 01/08/02. *MR

FRONT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY,ALLOWING CHILD TO COME OUT OF CHILD CAR SEAT. MANUFACTORER WAS INFORMED. *AK

BRITAX MODEL # E900217, DOM 28-JUL-2000; INFANT IS ABLE TO RELEASE THE HARNESS STRAP BUCKLE WITHOUT ANY FORCE. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. BUCKLE COVER DOES NOT WORK.*AK

COSCO, DOM 01/31/2001; HARNESS STRAPS ARE DETERIORATING. INFANT NOT SECURE IN CSS. MFT DATE 01/31/01.