Why are front seat backs collapsing in cars?
Basically, this is an issue of seat strength. In some rear-end crashes, especially high-speed ones, front vehicle seats have been found to collapse backward.
Why is my rear seat release latch broken?
In the picture below, you will notice how one of the prongs has broken off the end of the rod. That is what has been keeping the latch from releasing the seat. Tip: Only pull out the handle, do not try to pull out the whole plastic cup as it will likely break.
What should you do if your seat back collapses?
In July 2019, NHTSA released Front Seat Modeling in Rear Impact Crashes: Development of a Detailed Finite-Element Model for Seat Back Strength Requirements, which concluded that in rear impacts, seatback dynamic rotation should be reduced to less than 35° to prevent injury to the seat occupant and occupants seated directly behind it.
Can a weak seat back cause an injury?
However, in 2019 a paper published by NHTSA shows that weak seats lead to serious injuries, and there are effective countermeasures.
In the picture below, you will notice how one of the prongs has broken off the end of the rod. That is what has been keeping the latch from releasing the seat. Tip: Only pull out the handle, do not try to pull out the whole plastic cup as it will likely break.
What happens if your back seat collapses in a car?
This can cause injuries to the front seat occupant, from “simple” whiplash to more extreme injuries like paralysis or death when the occupant ramps upward and hits the back seat or another part of the car. It’s also possible for people to be ejected backward.
Why are rear seat occupant alerts standard in cars?
The reminder systems are an effort to avoid deaths from heatstroke when children are accidentally left unattended in the back seats of vehicles.
However, in 2019 a paper published by NHTSA shows that weak seats lead to serious injuries, and there are effective countermeasures.
Basically, this is an issue of seat strength. In some rear-end crashes, especially high-speed ones, front vehicle seats have been found to collapse backward.
Why is the driver seat rail stuck all the way back?
Now it’s stuck all the way back. When I pull up on the handle, the two pins on each side retract up and out of the lower rail. But when I try to move the seat forward, there’s a hard stop on the right side.
What to do if your car seat back collapses?
If you’re concerned about this, take action. Write to your elected representatives and to NHTSA and push for a change in the standard. Write to your vehicle manufacturer to express your concern and demand that they increase the strength of their vehicle seat backs.
What happens if you put your child in the wrong car seat?
Placing the car seat in the wrong spot The safest place for your child’s car seat is in the back seat, away from active air bags. If the car seat is placed in the front seat and the air bag inflates, it could hit the back of a rear-facing car seat — right where the child’s head is — and cause a serious or fatal injury.