2000 Mazda Mpv

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR FACING INFANT CARRIER HANDLE WAS LOOSE. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE HANDLE SCREWS NEEDED TIGHTENED. ADDITIONALLY, WITH OR WITHOUT THE CHILD RESTRAINED IN THE INFANT SEAT, THE BASE SLID FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS A DOREL JUVENILE GROUP, MODEL EDDIE BAUER, # 22-630FMT, AND THE DATE OF MANUFACTURER WAS FEBRUARY 2, 2006. *AK

SEAT BELT BUCKLE IN 2ND ROW IS DESIGNED SO THAT IT IS FORWARD OF SEAT CRACK AND CANNOT MOVE TO A COMPLETELY UPRIGHT POSITION. THIS CAUSES MAJOR MOVEMENT/ISECURE BELTING OF A CHILD CONVERTIBLE BOOSTER SEAT, ESPECIALLY FRONT-TO-BACK MOVEMENT. THIS MOVEMENT OCCURS EVEN WITH THE TETHER ANCHOR STRAP INSTALLED. WE COMPLAINED TO MAZDA AND WANTED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES REPLACED (TO MATCH THE REDESIGNED AND WORKABLE SEAT BELTS IN THE 2001 MODELS) OR THE ENTIRE SEAT REPLACED WITH THE 2001 SEATS. SO FAR, WE HAVE HAD LITTLE SUCCESS GETTING ANY FEEDBACK FROM MAZDA. ADDITIONALLY, ONCE WE BEGAN PURSUING THIS WEITH MAZDA, THREEE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMPANY HAVE INFORMED US THAT NO CHILD SEATS OF ANY KIND ARE TO BE USED IN THE 2ND ROW OF THE 2000 MPVS. HOWEVER, THEY WENT AHEAD AND INSTALLED A TETHER ANCHOR MOUNTING KIT BEHIND THE SECOND ROW (AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS TOO). DOESN'T THAT IMPLY THAT YOU COULD USE CHILD SEATS IN THE SECOND ROW? IF YOU TRULY CANNOT INSTALL CHILD SEATS IN THE 2ND ROW OF THE 2000 MPVS, THEN AN ENTIRE YEAR'S WORTH OF MPVS WERE SOLD UNDER FALSE PRETENSES AS MOST MINIVAN OWNERS HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND BELT THEIR CAR SEATS IN THE SECOND ROW. ALSO, THE 2000 MPV USER MANUAL ILLUSTRATES PUTTING CHILD SEATS INT HE 2ND ROW -- CONTRADICTING WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD REPEATEDLY BY MAZDA. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT A MAJOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURER CAN SELL MINIVANS WHICH APPARENTLY ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR SAFE USE OF CAR SEATS IN THE 2ND ROW. PROBABLY MANY UNINFORMED MPV OWNERS CURRENTLY HAVE THEIR CHILD SEATS IN THE 2ND ROW. WE HAD HOPED THAT MAZDA WOULD TAKE A PROACTIVE STANCE ON THIS ISSUE, BUT WHAT WE HAVE MOSTLY HEARD IS, "CHILD SEATS MUST BE INSTALLED IN THE 3RD ROW ONLY AND CANNOT BE INSTALLED IN THE 2ND ROW." PLEASE INVESTIGATE HOW MAZDA IS ABLE TO SELL THESE VEHICLES WITHOUT FIRST INFORMING THE CONSUMER OF THIS ISSUE, AND INVESTIGATE MAZDA'S UNWILLINGNESS TO INVESTIGATE FIXING THIS ISSUE.*AK

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEMS KEEPING OUR 2-YEAR OLD'S CAR SEAT SECURED PROPERLY. THE SEATBELTS IN THE MIDDLE SEATS AND REAR SEAT WILL NOT TIGHTEN AND/OR LOOSEN AFTER BUCKLING, CAUSING THE CAR SEAT TO SHIFT AND MOVE EASILY. I FELT WE MUST BE DOING SOMETHING WRONG AND FINALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALER. AFTER OVER AND HOUR AND THROUGHT THE EFFORTS OF A SERVICE ADVISOR AND A LEAD SERVICE TECHNICIAN, IT WAS DETERMINED THERE MUST BE SOME SORT OF DESIGN FLAW IN THE SEATBELT WHICH PREVENTED THE BELTS FROM LOCKING PROPERLY. THEY ALSO DID NOT FEEL THAT INSTALLING A TETHER WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM TO AN APPROPRIATE DEGREE OF SAFETY. THEY ALSO CALLED MAZDA HEADQUARTERS WHO INFORMED THEM THAT YES, THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SEATBELTS BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL. THE SERVICE ADVISORS ONLY RECOMMENDATION TO ME IS THAT I FIND ANOTHER CAR SEAT THAT MIGHT WORK WITH THESE SEATS. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NONE. THUS, EACH TIME MY FAMILY AND I RIDE IN THE CAR, MY 2-YEAR OLD'S LIFE IS AT STAKE SINCE WE CANNOT SAFELY INSTALL A CAR SEAT WITHIN THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ME ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN ON SEEKING REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM. WE WILL ANXIOUSLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE. *AK