2000 Mazda MPV seat belts complaints

Filed Feb 24, 2000 · Seat belts · IL

The fixed seat belt anchors prevent safe installation of child and infant car seats. The point where the buckle engages the anchor is too far away from the car seat to properly secure the child seat. The child seat has too much freedom of movement after the seat belt is buckled and tightened.

Filed Feb 17, 2000 · Seat belts · TX

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.

Filed Feb 6, 2000 · Seat belts · MD

This is of utmost concern for the safety of children in car-seats or booster seats. The seat belt anchors for the 2nd and 3rd row seats are of solid, inflexible construction. This inflexible construction combined with the placement of the anchors does not allow the safe installation of most infant car seats and toddler booster seats. Out of seven infant and booster seats tried, only one has been able to be installed somewhat correctly. The placement and inflexibility of the anchors requires that the lap portion of the seatbelt be located approximately 7 inches away from the intersection of the seat face and back. This acutally pulls a typical car seat away from the seat back and does not work safely.