Motor Vehicles Car Seats: Motor Vehicle Integral Child Seats Recall

MOTOR VEHICLES

Integral Child Seats

CHRYSLER CORPORATION

Model(s): 1996 - 1997 Town and Country, Caravan, Grand Caravan, Voyager, and Grand Voyager

Production Dates: January 1, 1995 - July 31, 1997

Defect: Mini vans equipped with integrated child seats. The shoulder harness restraint on the integrated child seat can become difficult to extract when the safety belt latch plate becomes contaminated. This can cause difficulty in releasing a child from the restraint.

Corrective Action: Dealers will clean the latch mechanism. An extender will be added to the emergency release anchor for the child safety seat belts so that the release clips are more visible and accessible to the operator in the event that the retractor mechanism cannot be unlocked. In addition, an instructional owner's manual supplement card will be provided.

NHTSA No.: 98V185000

Model(s): 1998 Plymouth Voyager and Grand Voyager, Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans equipped with integral child seats.

Production Dates: November - December 1997

Defect: The shoulder harness restraint webbing was incorrectly routed around the metal reinforcement bar on these seats and the child seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash.

Corrective Action: Dealers will inspect and correct any shoulder belt webbing which is improperly routed.

NHTSA No.: 97V231000

Model(s): 1996 - 1997 Plymouth Voyager and Grand Voyager, Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans equipped with integral child seats.

Production Dates: July 1996 - May 1997

Defect: This is not a safety recall campaign in accordance with 573. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. The latch plate can remain in the locked position due to food or other items which might prevent the latch plate from moving back.

Corrective Action: Owners are being provided with a video tape and two harness clips that instructs owners on the proper use and maintenance of the child seats.

NHTSA No.: 97I001000

Model(s): 1996 Plymouth Voyager and Grand Voyager, Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

Production Dates: Vehicles produced from June - July 1996

Defect: The bolts which secure the integrated child seat modules to the seat frame can break.

Corrective Action: Chrysler dealers will replace the integrated child seat module bolts.

NHTSA No.: 96V136000

FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Model(s): 1998 Windstar

Production Dates: January 1997

Defect: Second row bench seats with optional integrated child seats (ICS). The headrest lockout mechanism on the seats may not engage and lock the headrest in the "down" position, as intended, when the ICS is deployed. A vehicle occupant could move the headrest to the "up" position. As a result of the headrest being in the "up" position, a child seated in the ICS would receive less than the intended protection in the child headrest area in the event of a crash.

Corrective Action: The second row bench seats have been replaced with seats built with revised headrest lockout mechanisms. Notes: All owners have been notified and the seats have been replaced in the affected vehicles.

NHTSA No.: 97V051000

• Who Recalls Motor Vehicles?
• The Recall and Investigation Process
• Motor Vehicle Integral Child Seats Recall
• Is Your Child Safety Seat Safe?

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