BRITAX E9L47 (DECATHLON) Complaints

I BOUGHT A BRITAX DECATHLON IN MARCH 2006 FOR MY THEN 7 MONTH OLD SON. SINCE I PURCHASED IT, THE HARNESS ADJUSTER HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ADJUST PROPERLY (TO ADEQUATE TIGHTNESS). NOW THAT HE IS FORWARD FACING, I CANNOT TIGHTEN IT ENOUGH FOR SAFETY. BRITAX IS REPLACING THE SEAT WITH A MARATHON.

WHILE TRYING TO ADJUST THE HARNESS ON THE DECATHLON CAR SEAT THE ENTIRE HOUSING FOR THE STRAP BROKE AND POPPED OUT.*AK

THE HARNESS TENSIONER/RELEASE MECHANISM IN THE BRITAX DECATHLON CONVERTIBLE CAR SEAT COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE HARD PLASTIC SEAT SHELL. OVER THE COURSE OF 8 MONTHS OF USE THE BELTS GOT PROGRESSIVELY HARDER TO ADJUST. YOU HAD TO PULL ON THEM EXTREMELY HARD TO TIGHTEN THEM ,AND THEY WOULD NOT RELEASE EASILY WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED. I WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO ADJUST THEM BY MYSELF - ONLY MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DO IT. FINALLY, ONE EVENING WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO SECURE OUR DAUGHTER IN THE CAR SEAT HE HAD TO PULL SO HARD ON THE HARNESS TO TIGHTEN IT THAT THE TENSIONER/RELEASE MECHANISM COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE SEAT. BRITAX REPLACED THE SEAT WITH A NEW DECATHLON, BUT IT EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH DIFFICULTY TO TIGHTEN/RELEASE THE HARNESS. WE RETURNED THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BEFORE IT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK IN THE SAME FASHION. THEY FINALLY REPLACED IT WITH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MODEL MARATHON THAT HAS NO PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, THIS MODEL HAS A LOWER RETAIL VALUE THAN THE DECATHLON, WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING.*AK

I HAVE A BRITAX DECATHLON CAR SEAT PURCHASED IN 2006. IT HAS BEEN USED FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH, AS MY DAUGHTER IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD. THE HARNESS HAD BEEN DIFFICULT TO TIGHTEN, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. TODAY, WHEN I PULLED ON IT TO TIGHTEN ONE OF THE SMALL PLASTIC CLIPS HOLDING THE ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY BROKE, WHICH MADE THE SEAT UNUSABLE. THE ENTIRE BLACK PLASTIC ADJUSTER IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE SHELL OF THE SEAT AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TIGHTEN THE BELTS ENOUGH TO USE THE SEAT. *AK

THE HARNESS ADJUSTER IN MY BRITAX DECATHLON WAS SO TIGHT IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOSEN OR TIGHTEN THE HARNESS. IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO TIGHTEN THE HARNESS, THE ADJUSTER BUTTON POPPED LOOSE AT LEAST TWICE ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOSEN THE HARNESS WITHOUT TRYING TO REPLACE THE BUTTON FIRST. I CONTACTED BRITAX WHO HAD ME SEND BACK THE DECATHLON. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY REPLACED THE ADJUSTER, ADJUSTER STRAP, AND HOUSING, AS WELL AS THE CAR SEAT'S BASE. *NM

WHEN PULLING ON THE BELT TO TIGHTEN THE STRAPS ON OUR BRITAX DECATHALON, THE HARNESS ADJUSTER BROKE AND PULLED COMPLETELY OUT OF THE UNIT. THE HARNESS ADJUSTER WAS THEN NO LONGER USABLE. WE CONTACTED BRITAX, WHO OFFERED TO REPAIR THE SEAT FREE-OF-CHARGE, HOWEVER WE DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS SEAT IS SAFE SO WE WILL NO LONGER USE IT, REPAIRED OR NOT. IF THE HARNESS ADJUSTER CAN BREAK SIMPLY BY TIGHTENING THE STRAPS, WHAT WOULD A VEHICLE CRASH DO TO THE SEAT? *JB

I PURCHASED A BRITAX DECATHLON CAR SEAT FOR MY CHILD. MY CHILD IS APPROX. 15 POUNDS AND APPROX 24-25" LONG. THIS CAR SEAT IS CLASSIFIED AS APPROPRIATE FOR ANY CHILD 5 POUNDS TO 65 POUNDS AND AT LEAST 19 INCHES LONG. I PUT MY CHILD INTO THE SEAT AND NEITHER THE SHOULDER NOR WAIST STRAPS WERE ABLE TO FIT HIM PROPERLY. FOR REAR FACING, THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL STATES THAT THE STRAPS MUST BE AT OR BELOW THE SHOULDERS TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CHILD. THE STRAPS WERE LOCATED AT LEAST AN INCH ABOVE MY CHILD'S SHOULDERS IN THE LOWEST SLOT. ALSO, THE WAIST STRAPS WERE CUTTING INTO MY CHILD'S THIGHS, AND NEITHER THE SHOULDER NOR THE WAIST STRAPS WOULD TIGHTEN SUFFICIENTLY. HOW COULD THIS CAR SEAT POSSIBLY FIT A 5 POUND, 19" LONG CHILD, IF IT WON'T EVEN FIT MY 15 POUND, 25 INCH LONG CHILD? I CONSIDER THIS A VERY BIG SAFETY CONCERN AND RETURNED THE CAR SEAT. I PLAN ON CALLING BRITAX TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AS SOON AS I CAN. *JB

THIS IS FOR THE BRITAX DECATHLON, BUT THERE WAS NO SECTION TO CHOOSE FOR IT. WHILE TRYING TO TIGHTEN THE STRAPS, THE ENTIRE BLACK PIECE WITH THE BUTTON CAME OFF OF THE SEAT. THIS IS THE SECOND SEAT THAT WE OWN THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. FIRST ONE BROKE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. FOR FIRST SEAT, BRITAX WAS CONTACTED AND SEAT WAS RETURNED FOR REPAIR. IT WAS SENT BACK AND PIECE IS BACK IN PLACE. SECOND SEAT IS CURRENTLY BEING SENT OUT FOR REPAIR. AS THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH BOTH OF OUR SEATS IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. *JB