2014 Honda Odyssey: seat belt won't latch or retract

Filed Feb 18, 2019 · Seat belts · VA

The "standard seat assembly" as defined by fig-1a of fmvss 213 defines seat/seat-belt geometry such that a seatbelt buckle shall not extend beyond175mm (~6in) from the seat bight. The standard seems to allow car manufacturers to utilize seat belt buckle assemblies anywhere in the 0 to 175mm range from the bight. A bight-to-buckle (b2b) distance of 175mm makes it difficult (or impossible) to properly secure child car seats, using the vehicle's seat belt, if the child seat depth is shallower than 175mm. This hypothesis was developed after I was unable to properly secure a diono radian rxt car seat (forward facing mode) in my 2014 honda odyssey. The buckles in the honda (see attached) appear to be close to the 175mm threshold. However, I was able to secure the same diono seat in my 2007 audi a6 because the audi's buckles are flush mounted in the seat cushion (I.e. B2b of ~0mm). I do not believe this problem is a "honda" problem, but a problem with the lack of specificity of fmvss-213 wrt how child seats are to be tested. Fmvss 213 s6.1.2 simply states that the "standard seat assembly" is to be used, and makes no mention of ensuring compatibility of fit throughout the b2b range. The diono manual (see pg-19, attached) indicates that their seats are not compatible with "...anchor points forward of the seat crease." I reviewed other child car seat manufacturer instruction manuals and found similar warnings. While the honda seat belts contain fmvss-209 certification tags, and the diono is labeled with fmvss-213 tags, I believe that these two standards are not compatible. Recommendations: (1)update "standard seat assembly" of fmvss-213 such that b2b is explicitly fixed at 175mm or (2) fmvss-209 must restrict b2b< 25mm. Fmvss-209 s4.1.e only specifies, "...buckle or buckles readily accessible to the occupant to permit his easy & rapid removal..."

Filed Jul 11, 2017 · Seat belts · 36 miles · DC · 1 injury

My daughter was trapped in the seatbelt. We parked the car in our garage and when she sat up to release her belt, the belt became tangled around her waist. We tried for 30 minutes to release to seatbelt but once it retracted there was no way to release it. Finally we had to cut the belt to free her. She was sitting in the third row on the drivers side.

Filed Jun 24, 2016 · Electrical · 30,000 miles · FL · 1 injury

While my son was reaching for seatbelt his arm/wrist got stuck in door as it was closing. Door would not move and just sandwiched his wrist. Whether car was in drive or park door would not open or close. Finally we got his wrist out and door closed.

Filed Aug 1, 2015 · Airbags, Seat belts · NC · crash

While driving in a parking lot going no more than 10 miles per hour, I hit a concrete block with the front left side of my car in front of the wheel. It was in a blind spot. My 9 year old daughter, who weighs 62 pounds, was sitting in the passenger seat ( which was not all the way foward. The seat was about half way back). Both of our air bags deployed and only my seatbelt locked. Her airbag should not have deployed and her seatbelt should have locked.

Filed May 22, 2015 · Seat belts · 3,300 miles · IN

Our 2014 honda odyssey exl minivan was converted with a braun ability handicap accessible conversion in february of 2014. We had driven the conversion minivan without any problems until april 30, 2014. We utilize a power mobility chair in the front passenger side of the van. When the seat belt was released for the front passenger in the power mobility chair, it somehow became entangled in the arm of the power mobility chair. We were unaware that when the shoulder part of the belt is pulled all the way out, it causes a safety feature to activate, and the belt must fully retract to allow the passenger to move about freely. Apparently, this belt was fully extended when initially placed around the front seat passenger in the mobility chair. When the belt was released, we could not move the passenger forward due to the safety feature, and we could not move the power chair backward due to the belt entangled in the arm of the power mobility chair. We needed to have the belt come further out in order to detangle it, however, the safety feature would not allow that, and there is currently no over-ride emergency release button for the safety feature once it is engaged. The passenger was trapped in the power mobility chair in the minivan. We were alone, over 60 miles from home, and stranded in a parking lot. We were unable to drive anywhere, as we could not move the power mobility chair forward enough to lock it in with the q-straint system. Fortunately, management of the local honda dealership allowed their service personnel to drive to our location and assist us. They took apart the seat belt retraction device and detangled the belt. We reported this to honda so that they might consider designing a safety over-ride button. They provided us a case number. We also called braun ability so that they might work with honda.