1993 20TH Century Slide-In Camper Owner Complaints

"...THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN LEFT TO DIE IN HOT CARS IN THE SUMMER IS RISING....[I]N THE PAST 10 YEARS, ALMOST 350 CHILDREN HAVE DIED IN CARS, BECAUSE THE PARENTS OR OTHER CARETAKERS SIMPLY FORGOT THEM....RESEARCH SHOWS THAT JULY IS THE MONTH WHEN MOST ARE 'FORGOTTEN' ...TO DIE A SLOW, HORRIBLE DEATH IN THE BACK SEAT OF CARS." YES, FORGETTING YOUR CHILD CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE. (NOT TO ME OR YOU, BUT WE ARE EXCEPTIONAL.) IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PLANNED AND INSTITUTED BY LAW. YOU CAN NO LONGER SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KID BECAUSE THE GOV MAKES SURE EVERYTHING IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND TAXES ARE TOO HIGH FOR ONE PERSON TO SUPPORT A HOME. THEN, IF YOU MANAGE TO GET ATTACHED TO THEM ANYWAY, THE SCHOOLS TURN THEM AGAINST YOU. SINCE SOME OF US STILL LIKE OUR KIDS AND THINK OF THEM, THE GOV MANDATES THAT YOU PUT THEM IN THE BACK SEAT, OUT OF SIGHT. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT A KID WILL FALL ASLEEP FROM THE MOTION AND SOUND OF A CAR. NOW YOU CAN'T SEE HIM AND CAN'T HEAR HIM. WHAT NEXT? YOU ARE RESPONSIBLY PAYING ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC AND YOUR DRIVING. NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. NATURALLY, AS PART OF THE DRIVING YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING. THEN YOU START FLASHING ON WHY YOU ARE GOING THERE. THEN YOU START BRANCHING OUT INTO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY. ALL OF THIS IS THE NATURAL WAY A HUMAN MIND FUNCTIONS. IF THE CHILD WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH YOU IT WOULD BE AT THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND WITH ALL THE REST OF THE THINGS YOU ARE LOOKING AT. THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THAT LAW TO KEEP THEM IN THE BACK SEAT TO "SAVE THE LIVES" OF CHILDREN, ARE AS MUCH TO BLAME FOR THE HEAT DEATHS AS THE JERKS WHO PASS CAFE STANDARDS, WHICH ALSO KILL PEOPLE. GEE. THAT'S YOU. YOU MURDEROUS, POWER-MAD, SELF-CENTERED, VICIOUS, EGOTISTICAL BUMS. THEIR BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS. YOU ARE AT FAULT. '!@#$%. I'LL HAVE TO MAKE THE REST OF THIS SUBMISSION WITH FAKE INFO SO YOU CAN SEE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236295

Incident

Jul 23, 2008

ROAD DEFECT ON BRIDGE ON I-70 WHERE IT CROSSES I-270 JUST WEST OF ST. LOUIS, MO. DRIVING IN THE RAIN WE HIT A METAL JOINT THAT RUNS LENGTHWISE WITH THE BRIDGE IN THE RIGHT TIRE GROOVE OF THE LEFT HAND LANE. BEING RECESSED INTO THE ROAD, BEING METAL, AND NOT VISIBLE UNTIL WITHIN ABOUT 40 FEET OF THE OBJECT, IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS AND IN OUR CASE RETAIN CONTROL OF A MOTORCYCLE WHEN IT IS RAINING. JUST SOME APPROPRIATE SIGNAGE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. THE TOWING COMPANY TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE MANY MOTORCYCLE CRASHES AT THIS LOCATION EVERY TIME IT RAINS. I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO KEEP SOMEONE ELSE FROM HAVING THE SAME RESULTS AS WE DID. THANK YOU *AK

NHTSA ID

10074896

Incident

May 26, 2004

RECALL GENERATION 3 SEAT BELTS. I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH MOST MANUFACTURER SEAT BELTS, INCLUDING AIRCRAFT BELTS (PACIFIC SCIENTIFIC). I SELECTED "20" IN THE FAILURES SLOT SO THIS WILL GET THROUGH. USING MY SKILLS AS AN AIRCRAFT TECH. I HAVE ALSO INSPECTED AUTO BELTS AND FOUND MOST OF THEM REGARDLESS OF MANUFACTURER TO BE '!@#$%. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019286

Incident

May 26, 2003

THIS IS A GENERAL CONCERN RATHER THAN AN ACUTE PROBLEM WITH A SPECIFIC VEHICLE. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO JUST TURNED ONE SO I HAVE BECOME VERY AWARE OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT ISSUES. RECENTLY I SAW AN INFANT IN A PASSING CAR SEATED IN A "CONVERTIBLE" TYPE CAR SEAT. THE CHILD WAS ASLEEP AND ITS HEAD WAS DANGLING FORWARDS IN A WAY THAT PROMISED MAJOR C-SPINE INJURY IF THE CAR WERE TO CRASH. THE PROBLEM WAS THE SEAT WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY- IT WAS ANGLED SO FAR UPRIGHT THAT THE CHILD'S TORSO WAS NEARLY VERTICAL. I KNOW THAT INCORRECT INSTALLATION IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT IN THIS SITUATION IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL THE SEAT CORRECTLY. THE PROBLEM IS THE BACK OF THE CHILD-SEAT IS SO HIGH THAT IT HITS THE CAR'S FRONT SEATS. THE CAR IN THIS CASE WAS AN ECONOMY COMPACT CAR, BUT EVEN IN MY OWN MID SIZE CAR I CANNOT INSTALL MY DAUGHTER'S SEAT CORRECTLY FOR REAR-FACING USE ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE CENTER POSITION IN THE REAR SEAT. (SO THAT THE BACK OF HER SEAT IS BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS) THIS HAS BEEN MANAGEABLE, BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN A REAL PROBLEM IF I HAD TWO CHILDREN. THE REAL PROBLEM HERE IS THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. LOOKING AT WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET, THERE ARE REAR-FACING CARRIER/SEATS FOR NEWBORNS AND THERE ARE "CONVERTIBLE" SEATS FOR NEWBORN THROUGH AS MUCH AS 40 LBS, MADE TO MOUNT FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS. IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING THE SEATS ADAPT TO MUCH BIGGER AND OLDER KIDS, THEY HAVE MADE THEM SO BIG THAT THEY DON'T FIT WELL FOR BACKWARDS-FACING USE IN THE MAJORITY OF CARS. ONCE YOUR CHILD OUT GROWS THE CARRIER-STYLE NEWBORN SEAT, THEY HIT A TRANSITION PERIOD WHERE THEY STILL HAVE TO RIDE REAR-FACING BUT HAVE TO USE A SEAT THAT IS MADE FOR BIGGER KIDS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS TIME, AND IMPACTS MOST ON LOWER INCOME FAMILIES SINCE THEY WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SMALLER CARS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017027

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH 37000 MILES. THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT AND THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT HAVE BROKEN LOCKING MECHANICISMS. THIS PART HOLDS THE SEAT BELT TIGHT WHEN PULLED ON. THIS IS NOT THE LATCH. THE 1994 DODGE RAM HAD A RECALL ON THIS. I RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION ON THE 1994'S FROM AN EMPLOYEE AT MY DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER CLAIMS I HAVE TO PURCHASE ALL NEW SEAT BELTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I ONLY NEED LOCKING MECHANISMS. PLEASE ADVISE I CAN NOT PUT MY CHILDS SEAT IN THE BACK BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT HOLD THERE SEATS TIGHT. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

10005619

Incident

Oct 8, 2002

CHINO HILLS POLICE CAR IN CHASE WITH NO LIGHTS OR SIREN GOING SPEED OF 70 TO 80 MPH ON A POSTED STREET OF 25 MPH THE MUSTANG SPEED APROX 50 MPH THIS IS A NORMAL PROCEDURE ON THIS STREET. I HAVE CALLED THE CITY AND POLICE WITH NO CHANGE. CITY TRNSPORTATION DON PARKER 909-364-2840

NHTSA ID

10002646

Incident

Jan 13, 2003