Email This Story
Print This StoryPotential Seatbelt Safety Problem Exposed
POSTED: 5:52 p.m. PDT April 21, 2003
Wayne Havrelly
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Consumer Investigator A KIRO 7 Consumer Investigation exposes a potential safety problem with popular seatbelts you might have in your vehicle. KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Wayne Havrelly discovered some local car owners who say the seatbelts are unlatching during sudden stops and accidents.
The seatbelt in question is called the "Generation 3" seatbelt. It's standard equipment in many Chryslers and Dodges.
Nationally, several deaths are blamed on these belts for unlatching during accidents.
We found a Western Washington family who claim their baby was hurt when the Gen 3 seatbelt unlatched during a sudden stop, sending their 2-year-old flying.
"It's a nice solid car seat," said Israel James.
There's nothing wrong with the car seat, but the James family says the seat belt in their Dodge minivan holding their son Devon unlatched during a sudden stop on I-5.
"I thought another car hit us because I felt this big jolt to my seat and I kind of went 'Oh my.' I looked back to see who hit us, but it was his car seat. The seat belt had come unlatched and threw it forward into my seat!" said Jennifer James.
Devon was bruised in the face, but not seriously hurt.
They asked Chrysler to replace the seat belt. The company turned them down after one of their safety experts inspected the van and said the car seat was installed incorrectly.
The James thought that was strange because they have home video of a state seat belt expert saying everything was fine with their car seat.
"Because if I try to pull on this buckle as hard as I can pull, you cannot get the seatbelt loose from there," the expert said on the tape.
"I found out that two months before our accident, they lost a $6.7 million lawsuit against someone who had actually died because of the same seatbelt problem," said Israel James.
That lawsuit was over a fatal accident in Texas where a seat belt in another Dodge minivan apparently unlatched during a rollover accident.
Bart Moran died after going through the windshield.
"The Chrysler Corporation owes my daughter a father. Chrysler Corporation owes me a husband. And they owe the consumer safety," said Yvonne Moran.
In court, lawyers showed a videotaped deposition of how the Chrysler seat belt in question can unlatch when it's hit by certain objects -- something other belts tested didn't do.
Daimler-Chrysler lost this multi-million dollar lawsuit but is appealing. It's also appealing a nationwide class action suit that the James family is involved in. The suit demands a recall of all Gen 3 seat belts.
They're in as many as 14 million vehicles, and Daimler Chrysler continues to make them.
"I think they need to recall all their seatbelts and replace them and save some lives," Israel James said.
We've heard from four other local families who are involved in the national class action suit against Chrysler. All say the Gen 3 seatbelts unlatched for no apparent reason.
A spokesman for Daimler-Chrysler says the Gen 3 Seatbelt has a long track record of safety and is not defective. The company is appealing several court decisions saying there's evidence that Bart Moran and other victims were never wearing seatbelts.
Daimler Chrysler points out the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration doesn't have a problem with the Gen 3 belts.
However, we've learned there is no industry standard test in this country when it comes to seat belt safety.
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Consumer Investigator A KIRO 7 Consumer Investigation exposes a potential safety problem with popular seatbelts you might have in your vehicle. KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Wayne Havrelly discovered some local car owners who say the seatbelts are unlatching during sudden stops and accidents.
The seatbelt in question is called the "Generation 3" seatbelt. It's standard equipment in many Chryslers and Dodges.
Nationally, several deaths are blamed on these belts for unlatching during accidents.
We found a Western Washington family who claim their baby was hurt when the Gen 3 seatbelt unlatched during a sudden stop, sending their 2-year-old flying.
"It's a nice solid car seat," said Israel James.
There's nothing wrong with the car seat, but the James family says the seat belt in their Dodge minivan holding their son Devon unlatched during a sudden stop on I-5.
"I thought another car hit us because I felt this big jolt to my seat and I kind of went 'Oh my.' I looked back to see who hit us, but it was his car seat. The seat belt had come unlatched and threw it forward into my seat!" said Jennifer James.
Devon was bruised in the face, but not seriously hurt.
They asked Chrysler to replace the seat belt. The company turned them down after one of their safety experts inspected the van and said the car seat was installed incorrectly.
The James thought that was strange because they have home video of a state seat belt expert saying everything was fine with their car seat.
"Because if I try to pull on this buckle as hard as I can pull, you cannot get the seatbelt loose from there," the expert said on the tape.
"I found out that two months before our accident, they lost a $6.7 million lawsuit against someone who had actually died because of the same seatbelt problem," said Israel James.
That lawsuit was over a fatal accident in Texas where a seat belt in another Dodge minivan apparently unlatched during a rollover accident.
Bart Moran died after going through the windshield.
"The Chrysler Corporation owes my daughter a father. Chrysler Corporation owes me a husband. And they owe the consumer safety," said Yvonne Moran.
In court, lawyers showed a videotaped deposition of how the Chrysler seat belt in question can unlatch when it's hit by certain objects -- something other belts tested didn't do.
Daimler-Chrysler lost this multi-million dollar lawsuit but is appealing. It's also appealing a nationwide class action suit that the James family is involved in. The suit demands a recall of all Gen 3 seat belts.
They're in as many as 14 million vehicles, and Daimler Chrysler continues to make them.
"I think they need to recall all their seatbelts and replace them and save some lives," Israel James said.
We've heard from four other local families who are involved in the national class action suit against Chrysler. All say the Gen 3 seatbelts unlatched for no apparent reason.
MORE ON THIS STORY |
Copyright 2003 by KIROTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
