Complaint 1226151

Complaint Summary

CHILD SEAT

Owner Narrative

ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 I RECEIVED A RECARO PERFORMANCE RIDE CAR SEAT THAT WAS REPLACEMENT FOR ONE THAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND PREVIOUSLY REPORTED UNDER COMPLAINT 10778288. THE REPLACEMENT CAR SEAT WAS RECEIVED IN GOOD ORDER BUT I NOTICED SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE MANUFACTURER'S LABEL. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD DOUBLE LABELED THE CAR SEAT. THE ORIGINAL LABEL SHOWED THE CAR SEAT WAS A MODEL 333.01 AND MANUFACTURED 10/30/2014 WITH SERIAL NUMBER 500614610. THERE WAS ALSO A GREEN DOT STICKER PLACED ON THIS ORIGINAL LABEL. (THIS MODEL CAR SEAT WAS RECALLED!!) THE NEW STICKER WAS VERY CAREFULLY PLACED IMMEDIATELY OVER THE TOP OF THE ORIGINAL STICKER AND HAD COMPLETELY NEW INFORMATION ON IT REFLECTING THAT IT WAS MANUFACTURED 9/11/2015 WAS NOW A MODEL 336.01 AND SERIAL NUMBER 500712991. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO COULD NOT/WOULD NOT DISCUSS WHAT THE GREEN DOT MEANT NOR COMMENT ON THE DOUBLE LABELING OF THE CAR SEAT OTHER THAN TO SAY, "THE REPLACEMENT CAR SEAT YOU RECEIVED IS NOT ON RECALL. THE FIRST 3 NUMBERS OF THE MODEL NUMBER SHIPPED TO YOU ARE 336. THE 336 MODEL NUMBER HAD THE RECALL DEFECT CORRECTED. YES, WE DID REWORK SEATS TO INCLUDE THE LOAD LIMITING STRAP, BUT THE SEAT SHIPPED TO YOU IS FULLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL REGULATIONS. IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO SHIP A RECALLED SEAT." THIS IS QUITE DECEPTIVE, CONCERNING, AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THAT RECARO IS SELLING RECALLED CAR SEATS AS BRAND NEW BY SIMPLY CORRECTING THE DEFECT AND THEN RELABELING IT AS A BRAND NEW CAR SEAT WITH A NEW 'MANUFACTURE DATE' AND NEW MODEL NUMBER. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SEAT AND LABELS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FILINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS. REQUESTS THAT RECARO ADDRESS THE MATTER WITH SOMEONE ABOVE THEIR FRONTLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR (CORPORATE) WERE DENIED.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.