BRITAX E9L06 (MARATHON) Complaints

I AM AN EXPERIENCED CPST IN BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA. ON 7-30-08 I ASSISTED A MOTHER WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW BRITAX MARATHON (CAMO PATTERN COVER) USING THE LATCH SYSTEM. MOTHER INDICATED SHE HAD JUST RECEIVED THE SEAT AND IT HAD BEEN BACK-ORDERED FOR SOME TIME. WHEN I PULLED BACK THE SEAT COVER TO ACCESS THE STORED LATCH ATTACHMENTS....I NOTED THAT THE ATTACHMENTS WERE STORED IN A MANNER THAT MIGHT LEAD TO MISUSE. THE ATTACHMENTS WERE ROUTED TO THE INSIDE OF THE HARNESS BEFORE BEING PLACED IN THE RECESSED STORAGE COMPARTMENT (IN THE SHELL TOWARD THE BACK OF THE SEAT). THE PROBLEM....UNLESS A PARENT LIFTS THE SEAT COVER ALL THE WAY TO VISUALIZE THE ? MISROUTING OF THE STORED CONNECTORS ...ENTANGLEMENT OF THE HARNESS COULD EASILY OCCUR WHEN THE ATTACHMENTS ARE REMOVED FROM THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND PULLED THROUGH THE RF BELT PATH PATH OPENINGS IN THE SHELL. I HAVE CONTACTED THE CLIENT TO ASK FOR BATCH NUMBER AND SERIAL # ON THE PRODUCT BUT THE HOME PHONE SEEMS CONNECTED TO A FAX. INFORMATION I DO HAVE: BRITAX MARATHON MODEL # E9L0668 MFG 07/09/2008 FABRIC COVER...CAMO PATTERN I DID SPEAK WITH A BRITAX REPRESENTATIVE (CHRIS) ON 8-6-08 TO REPORT MY CONCERNS. I GAVE HIM THE MODEL # AND MFG DATE. HE DID NOT REQUEST ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OR CONTACT INFORMATION FROM ME FOR FOLLOW-UP. I AM ALWAYS SOMEWHAT CONCERNED WHEN NO FOLLOW-UP NAME / NUMBER IS REQUESTED ON A CONCERN I HAVE REGISTERED WITH A MANUFACTURER. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2003, MAKE=CHEVY , MODEL=SILVERADO). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A BRITAX MARATHON E9L0636 CHILD SEAT. THE SEAT WAS MANUFACTURED ON JANUARY 13, 2003. THE CHILD SEAT HAD A VELCRO FLAP SO THE CONTACT COULD REACH THE ADJUSTMENT STRAP. THE VELCRO FLAP IS SO HIGH THAT HER CHILD CAN REACH THE FLAP AND LOOSEN THE ADJUSTMENT STRAP WHILE IN THE SEAT. THIS ALLOWS THE CHILD TO POSSIBLY REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE CHILD SEAT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE ADJUSTMENT STRAP BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL ONE HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. UPDATED 09/13/08. *LJ THE CONSUMERS SON WAS ABLE TO REMOVE HIS ARMS FROM THE SEAR WHEN THE STRAP WAS LOOSE. UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BRITAX E9L06-MARATHON, MODEL NUMBER E9WO605. THE SEAT WAS MANUFACTURED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2004. THE ADJUSTER STRAP SLIPS AND THE VELCRO ADJUSTER CAN BE OPENED BY THE TWO YEAR OLD CHILD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO SAFETY RECALL AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE ADJUSTER TO LOOSEN/TIGHTEN TOP TETHER CRACKED. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2004, MAKE=NISSAN, MODEL=ALTIMA). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A BRITAX MARATHON CHILD SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LABELS ON THE CHILD SEAT RECOMMENDED IT FACE FORWARD UNTIL 1 YEAR OF AGE AND 20 POUNDS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE LABEL SHOULD STATE REAR FACING UP TO 1 YEAR OLD AND 20 POUNDS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD FORWARD THE INFORMATION TO A MANAGER. AS OF DECEMBER 13, 2007, THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT CORRECTED THE LABELS. THE FAILURE TYPE WAS NOT APPLICABLE. UPDATED 3/4/08 *CN

I BUCKLED MY 3 MONTH OLD SON INTO HIS BRITAX MARATHON CAR SEAT. I MADE A WIDE LEFT TURN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE STARTED TO SCREAM. I PULLED OVER AND PARKED MY CAR AND GOT OUT TO CHECK ON HIM. HE HAD SLID OUT FROM UNDER THE STRAP AND WAS LAYING PERPENDICULAR TO HIS SEAT. HE WAS UNINJURED, BUT WHEN I CALLED BRITAX TO TELL THEM, THEY WERE UNCONCERNED AND BLAMED ME. I KNOW HOW TO PUT HIM IN HIS CAR SEAT. I KNOW I TIGHTENED THE STRAPS, THEY SOMEHOW LOOSENED AND HE WAS ABLE TO SLIDE UNDER THEM. *JB

I PURCHASED A BRITAX MARATHON CAR SEAT FOR MY 2 YEAR OLD. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR KIDS 18 TO 49" AND 0 -65 LBS. HE IS 30 LBS AND 33" AND THE HARNESS BUCKLE AT HIS CROTCH IS ALMOST TOO TIGHT FOR HIM. HOWEVER, I FEAR THAT HE IS TOO SMALL FOR A BOOSTER SEAT AND ARE AWARE THAT THEY ARE NOT AS SAFE AS CAR SEATS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BRITAX E9L06-MARATHON. WHILE RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE IN THE SAFETY SEAT, THE CHILD BIT OFF AND CHEWED THE RUBBERY PLASTIC HUGS (RINGS) OF THE SHOULDER HARNESS. THE CONTACT NOTICED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR THAT THE CHILD WAS CHEWING ON SOMETHING. SHE PULLED OVER AND REMOVED THE RUBBERY PLASTIC FROM THE CHILD'S MOUTH. 01/11/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A BRITAX MARATHON CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A LATCH IN THE CENTER OF THE SAFETY SEAT BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS THAT THE CHILD CAN REACH AND OPEN. WHEN THE LATCH IS OPENED, IT CAUSES THE TETHER STRAP TO SLIP AND THE HARNESS STRAP BECOMES LOOSE. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB MODEL # E9L06B9. UPDATED *JB

I OWN TWO BRITAX MARATHON CAR SEATS. MY ALMOST THREE YEAR OLD CHILD (WHILE TIGHTLY STRAPPED INTO HIS CAR SEAT) CAN REACH FORWARD AND ACTIVATE THE SHOULDER RELEASE LEVER, LEAN FORWARD AND LOOSEN HIS CAR SEAT STRAPS ON HIS OWN. WHILE I AM DRIVING! I CALLED BRITAX AND WITH IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, THEY ARE SENDING ME TWO "PLASTIC TRAINERS" WHICH ACCORDING TO THEM, SHOULD MAKE THIS LEVER INACCESSIBLE TO MY CHILD. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE NO TRULY SAFE CAR SEAT FOR MY CHILD. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY USE THIS LEVER AND NOT THE BUTTON LIKE THEY USE ON THE ROUNDABOUT CAR SEAT AND WAS TOLD THAT PARENTS WITH LESS HAND DEXTERITY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BUTTON. BUT, APPARENTLY IT WAS TOTALLY OKAY TO LET OUR SMALL CHILDREN BE ABLE TO LOOSEN THEIR OWN SAFETY RESTRAINTS. I JUST PURCHASED THE SECOND SEAT AND IT DID NOT COME WITH THE TRAINER. BRITAX KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THERE IS CURRENTLY NO MENTION OF THIS CORRECTIVE PIECE ON THEIR WEB SITE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. *AK