The problem
On certain minivans equipped with child restraint anchorages (tether anchorages) for use in conjunction with child restraints installed in the three rearmost seating positions, the "safety first" portion of the owner's manual delivered with these vehicles incorrectly instructs owners to guide the tether strap underneath the seat's head restraint and to raise the head restraint slightly, if necessary.
The risk
If the owner follows these instructions, the head restraint could accidentally separate from the seat in the event of a crash and cause injury to any child occupant seated in the tethered child seat.
The fix
Owners will be sent a new "safety first" booklet that will contain corrected use instructions. Owner notification began november 30, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free booklet within a reasonable time should contact vwoa at 1-800-822-8987.
Contacts
Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Volkswagen dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 02V136000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.