Major Britax recall

[california_sales_girl]

We were just informed that all Marathons, Husky's and Wizards are being recalled due to harness belt slippage. Britax is sending out a retrofit kit to anyone that sent in their warrantee card. It effects all of these models from 7/23/2004 on back.

http://www.britaxusa.com/news.cfm?id=EDC4F94B-4EE8-4B61-A4B8AD9BF9D1A0C8

[Joolsplus2]

Thanks for the head's up. It's actually all models UP TILL 7/23/04, so it's ALL of them, not just the ones made in the last couple weeks.
I had a friend who this happened to on her Husky a few months ago, she sent it in for fixing and they kept it and sent her a new one. It was obvious the harness loosened easily. Like the letter points out, it is IS extremely rare, and you CAN keep using your seats as long as you tug the harness and it doesn't loosen. So just check your seat every time, and if the harness stays tight (without lifting the metal flap in the adjuster) your seat is perfectly fine and keep using your seat till they send you the new kit.
Call 1-888-4BRITAX with any concerns.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

Edit: Here's a news story you can read without having adobe:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040809/clm037_1.html

[sarahfran]

We have 2 MAs. I know we sent in the warranty card on one, I don't think we did on the other. Any idea whether they'll give us a replacement kit on the second one?

Thanks for the heads up, by the way!!
-Sarah
Mom to Dylan, 8/18/03

:) Motherhood is such a joy! :)

[Joolsplus2]

I'd call and ask about it. But if it's not loosening on it's own, give them a few days, you might be on hold for hours. I registered my seats, too, and never really got confirmation that I did, so I'll probably call and find out, too...but not today, lol.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[geochick]

Give them a call at 1-800-683-2045. They will send you the replacement parts if you give them the serial number, batch number, etc., off of the white sticker on the car seat. The white sticker is located under the seat pad or under the pad near the child's left shoulder on the Wizard. You can register it with them when you call. They told me they aren't sending replacement parts until August 20th.

[supercalifragilous]

I totally wondered about this b/c for a while now DD's right shoulder strap has been 2 fingerwidths looser than her left, no matter how tight I pull it. It's been getting progressively looser with time.

We've rethreaded and rethreaded the stupid thing and we've checked the straps to make sure they're the same length (they are). There was just no explanation for it and it was really getting me ticked since I spent so much on our Marathon!

We've been using our spare Marathon in the not-so-frequently-used car so the "broken" carseat has just been sitting there waiting for me to call Britax.

We haven't gotten anything in the mail yet letting me know about the recall but I'm just glad they figured it out!

[lisams]

My marathon's model number is E9L0606, and the letter says all E9L06 models, so is it safe to assume that is not including the one I have since my model number is a little different (has an extra 06 on the end)?

Lisa

[Joolsplus2]

Good question. I think since they say ALL seats made before 7/23/04, you should test your harness and maybe give them a call to make sure your seat is registered.

:)

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[DebHgn]

I bought a Marathon yesterday, and Right Start people handed it to me and said "hot off the press--seat shipment had just arrived. It was manufactured 6/19. I wonder if they already retrofitted at factory? I haven't even mailed in the card yet...

[Joolsplus2]

I got the impression that if it WERE retrofitted, there would be a big label somewhere on it or the box...so probably not. Just make sure your harness holds ok, and if it does, don't worry. Get it registered and they'll send you the new strap, and all should be cool :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[flagger]

You can register your second car seat online.

[hipmaman]

My thought is that all seats up until Jul 24, 2004 are affectedt.

The letter/press release says ALL seats/entire production of Husky, Wizard, Marathon and Travel Plus up until Jul 24, 2004 are included in the recall. So, I think yours is part of the recall too.

I think the letter/news release should say something like 'Marathon seats with model leading with E9L06' are affected. I checked my Husky and Wizard, they have models with 2 extra digits at the end of the model cited in the recall. Just like yours with the extra 06 at the end of E9L06.

Just my thoughts. I'm calling Britax for mine tomorrow since I have no memory if I had sent the registration in or not

[marybliss]

I called in this morning and talked to a Britax rep. She said there were 4 cases of the adjuster straps "slipping" making the harness straps loose. NO injuries have been reported.... they just decided to fix all of the suggested models to make sure harness staps don't loosen in the future. She said that the new adjuster straps will be THICKER and more "slip resistant". So the kits will include a new thicker adjuster strap and of course, all newly manufactured Britax seats will come off the assembly line already with them.
Whether or not your straps slip... you should still get a kit.

HTH...

Mary

[vdrake71]

Thank you so much for posting this. Reading this message makes it worth coming to the message boards every day.

[Joolsplus2]

Thanks for getting us updated, Mary. Sounds like they are handling the situation pretty well, IMO.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Play Pen]

This video link will help you on your retro fits.
http://www.britaxusa.com/recall.cfm

[Sarah1]

...so much for that link! Now that I've seen that video, I understand what to do! Thanks so much :)

[lynettefrancois]

Thanks for the video link!!!!

[lums123]

Hi,
We have the same problem with the straps on one side of our Marathon being much looser than on the other. We got one of the earliest model Marathons which have straps that are so hard to loosen and tighten, that we try to leave them set in one spot (hard to do in the winter). I called about this several times, and they sent me a kit to fix it -- which I didn't have time to do at first, but when the weather got warm it wasn't so urgent. When this recall came out, I looked at my package, and it appears to be the recall parts, not what I thought I got. Interestingly, this is from a few months ago!

Please let me know what you hear from Britax about the unequal strap problem. I don't see anyway to adjust the straps to be equal, and it's so hard to adjust our straps, period, I'm not sure what to do.

I do not have a spare car seat, but if I get one, it won't be a britax, this thing looks good but it's been one problem after another.

A.J.

[Joolsplus2]

The replacement strap and the recall kit are going to be the same parts exactly. Don't bother with this kit, just wait for your recall (call them, almost no one is actually registered even though they sent the cards back).
When you put the recall strap on, the belt will work MUCH smoother. The reason your straps are hard to pull now, is that the adjuster is routed over a rough piece of plastic that slows it down. The better way to route the strap is how the recall kit will be (there's a video at britaxusa.com) And trust me, you will be happier with your seat after that.
I don't know why one shoulder strap is longer than the other...I know sometimes I thread mine through different slots in the seat shell by accident and have to go back and re-do it...have you checked if they are through all the same holes? (cover, foams, and seatback?)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx