THERE IS A SAFETY STANDARD REQUIRING HEAD RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WHIPLASH INJURIES YET THERE IS APPARENTLY NO STANDARD THAT REQUIRES THE SEAT BACK HOLDING SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT TO REMAIN STANDING UPRIGHT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT WOULD BE NEEDED. I WAS REAR ENDED ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS …
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THERE IS A SAFETY STANDARD REQUIRING HEAD RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WHIPLASH INJURIES YET THERE IS APPARENTLY NO STANDARD THAT REQUIRES THE SEAT BACK HOLDING SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT TO REMAIN STANDING UPRIGHT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT WOULD BE NEEDED. I WAS REAR ENDED ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN I WAS. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE INTERIOR SHELVING IN MY VAN BUCKLED DUE TO THE SHOCK TO ITS LOAD. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER STRIPPED COMPLETELY, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SEAT FROM COLLAPSING ALL THE WAY WAS THE CARGO LOADED BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE SHELVES. INSTEAD OF A WHIPLASH INJURY, I RECEIVED A LOWER BACK INJURY FROM MY BACK BEING SNAPPED BACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. WHAT GOOD IS A HEAD RESTRAINT IF THE SEAT BACK DOESN'T HOLD IT UP? FURTHERMORE, IN THE SEARCH TO FIND A USED SEAT TO AVOID HAVING TO DISMANTLE THE SEAT TO REPLACE THE STRIPPED RECLINER, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL SIMILAR DODGE VANS IN THE JUNK YARDS WITH THE DELUXE HIGH BACK SEATS ARE SIMILARLY STRIPPED. I SEARCHED JUNKYARDS DESPITE THE POLICE OFFICER WHO CAME TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE SAYING THAT SEATS COLLAPSING DURING REAR END ACCIDENTS WAS COMMON. IS THIS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVING ITS HEAD UP ITS A** LIKE WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES?
NHTSA ODI #734170
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seats
DRIVERS SEAT BOTTOMS OUT. NLM
NHTSA ODI #606132
Mileage unknown · May 7, 1998
Air BagsSeatsCrash
TRUCK REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT LOCK DID NOT HOLD. *AK
NHTSA ODI #823153
Official recalls
0
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Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
DP03006 · Seat Back Failure
Opened Sep 23, 2003 · Closed Apr 8, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats; Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seats
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 30 INCIDENTS WHERE IT IS ALLEGED THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED IN A REAR IMPACT CRASH.THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 23 INJURIES AND TWO DEATHS.THE DATA PRESENTED TO ODI SHOW THAT THE SEAT BACK STRENGTH OF THE FRONT SEATS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207. SEATING SYSTEM.ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYLSER THE FRONT SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE REARWARD IN REAR IMPACT CRASHES AS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORPTIONCAPABILITIES OF THE SEATING SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.RATES OF OCCURANCE WERE COMPARED TO PEER VEHICLES, AND IT WAS SHOWN THAT THE PERFORMACE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS COMPARABLE TO THOSE VEHICLES.IN VIEW OF THE FORGOING, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION REMEDY OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THERFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE THE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR FURTHER DETAILS, REFER TO ODI'S RESPONSE TO THE PETITION PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL.69, NO. 60 , DATED MARCH 29, 2004.
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