EVENFLO 428 (CONQUEST I) Complaints

WHEN THE CONSUMER UNLATCHED THE HARNESS BUCKLE THE SHIELD CAME UP TOO FAST. ONE TIME THE SPRING BROKE AND THE SHIELD WOULD NOT STAY ATTACHED. *NM *SC

I AM A NHTSA CERTIFIED CAR SEAT TECHNICIAN. I WAS PERFORMING AN INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED THAT THE HARNESS STRAP ON THE CAR SEAT WAS FRAYED AND FALLING APART WHERE THE HARNESS CONNECTS TO THE SPLITTER PLATE. THE CAR SEAT IS AN EVENFLO CONQUEST I, MODEL #42818DP2, MANUFACTURE DATE FEBRUARY 7, 2001. I CALLED EVENFLO FOR THE PARENT AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. MY CONCERN IS THAT OTHER CAR SEATS MAY HAVE THE SAME DEFECT AND GO UNNOTICED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS AT THE BACK OF THE SEAT WHERE MANY PARENTS DO NOT PERFORM VISUAL INSPECTION. PARENTS MAY ALSO NOT KNOW THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. THE FRAYED HARNESS COULD EASILY TEAR APART AND DETACH FROM THE SPLITTER PLATE IN A CRASH CAUSING THE CHILD TO BE EJECTED FROM THE SEAT. THIS SEAT WAS OTHERWISE IN GOOD REPAIR AND NOT VERY OLD. THE HARNESS STRAP SHOULD NOT HAVE SUSTAINED THIS LEVEL OF WEAR IN SUCH A SHORT TIME. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE TIGHTENING MECHANISM FOR THE HARNESS. I COULD NOT GET THE HARNESS STRAPS TO TIGHTEN TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CHILD IN THE SEAT. THE MECHANISM WAS LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT FREE THE HARNESS STRAP TO BE TIGHTENED. THIS COULD CAUSE THE CHILD TO BE EJECTED IN A CRASH BECAUSE HE IS UNABLE TO BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE SEAT. A RECALL MAY BE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN CURRENTLY USING THIS SEAT.

MODEL# 4281106P2. MANUFACTURING DATE NOV 6 2000. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SHIELD BUCKLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BUCKLE, AND WHEN YOU FINALLY BUCKLE IT, IT IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO UNBUCKLE. DEALER NOTIFIED, THEY WERE OFF NO ASSISTANCE. TS