Claire C- for the information of your NCT group it’s not just the 2006 models which have this problem! My guess is 2006 is the year featuring here because it’s just out of warranty. I know of people who have had similar problems within warranty and we also have the same issue with our 5 year old Frog (precursor of the Chameleon- same price range) so it’s an ongoing issue for Bugaboo with a history- though they deny it.

And hi to the rest of you- I don’t need to detail our problems with the handle because it’s no different from the posters above and it’s been going on a while getting progressively worse. As ours is definitely out of warranty we are more than happy to pay for a repair, but Bugaboo have confirmed their chassis can’t be repaired and that their policy is to replace. We feel that were we to buy a bicycle at that price we would expect to be able to repair and maintain it. Why should this be any different? And throwing an aluminium chassis on the landfill for the sake of what would appear to one little dislodged cable makes a mockery of using washable nappies! We’ve already had to buy 2 whole new front wheels (£70) because of a lost spring on only one of them, so I guess that was a sign even then of what Bugaboo are like.

They told us the following;
“obviously I am not happy for what happened with your stroller, but it is not a common complaint. After 5 years of use it could happen, which it is a result of wear and tear. It could happen to every product that you use over 5 years.”

Reading the number posts on this one site over a short time frame, it appears not that uncommon! As for durability, I think it is just too expensive an item to be trashable within 5 years. Bugaboo didn’t address our query about the design flaw that the chassis is riveted and not accessible for maintenance. They have not undertaken to improve on this. You think you pay low prices for non maintainable disposable items and high for long term reliability and maintenance. Here it’s the worst of both worlds and Bugaboo seem happy with this. Other products I have purchased in a similar price range- Samsonite and Vitorinox luggage, Cougar Chariot bicycle trailer, even come with life-time guarantees and all we’re asking of Bugaboo is that we get an opportunity to repair it at our own cost, (if they won’t do it then can they advise on how it is built)- and, if completely impossible then we ask do they plan to address this problem in future models?

Having not been able to obtain a positive response to either from them, we intend to look into fixing it ourselves. Hopefully this will work. If not we are left with the dilemma of whether to pay £200 for something which we now know once it goes wrong cannot be fixed and thus further line the pockets of Bugaboo*. Something we already know is overpriced trash. Would that be foolish?

like one of the posters above- we already have all the accessories- and we even paid £30 recently for 2 car seat adaptors (- just little pieces of plastic...)

*It seems they wouldn’t even be selling it at cost either…

Also- Rikwill mentioned reporting to Which- I think Which already mention weak handles in their critique

Sorry to hear you have had problems too Gillian. What a nightmare.
Have they replaced your chassis yet rikwill? What I don't understand is why they are replacing some and not others. That is very unfair.
I have told my NCT friends and they are concerned now too as several were going to buy the Bugaboo.
I do like how the Bugaboo looks though - it does seems cosy too!
I will keep an eye on this site and see whether people's issues are resolved and then make a final decision.
Thanks

Hi Babee_Bugs

We have got a similar problem, the handle bar is closed down, we can't make it go up in its rightful position to push the buggy. We read your review in answer a similar problem to ours. Can you please send us pictures of how u fixed it?

Many thanks. x

Just to update my earlier post about the Bugaboo chassis which was locked - after weeks of being told they wouldn't, Bugaboo in Holland finally replaced it (not the wheels etc just the chassis). They asked whether we had hung bags off the brake lever - we hadn't. The new chassis looks like a better design so let's hope it's better in practice. So - thanks Bugaboo, but you would do yourselves a favour by replacing faulty items straight away rather than making people really have to fight for it.

Bugaboo Cameleon chassis repair !!!
I'm living in west London and can repair Bugaboo Cameleon chassis with lock on the possition problem.

07510072300

I experienced the same symptoms as many others in this thread: 2006 Bugaboo Chameleon became locked on the right side, would not fold, then became dangerously loose and collapsed.

I flipped off the metal disk on the central axle and discovered that a metal tooth had sheared in two.

The locking mechanism is based on two curved metal teeth that press against one another under tension. When you pull on the white locking lever a cable pulls the teeth out of their sockets so they can rotate into the next socket. This is what lets you set the handle at different angles.

When one tooth shears there is no tension, which means the remaining tooth stays in its socket and cannot be pulled out by the cable. This is why the handle seems to be locked in place and will not fold. Eventually, that solitary tooth will joggle out of the socket, at which point there is nothing left to lock that side of the handle. This is why the buggy collapses.

So the sequence is as people have reported: handle locks, then feels loose, then collapses.

I've attached a photo of the two teeth (one solid, one sheared) to help explain.

This shearing could happen at any time, and similarly the remaining tooth could wiggle out at any time. This is when the Bugaboo Chameleon is dangerous and why some people in this thread have experienced a collapse with a child inside.

My advice is to stop using the buggy as soon as the handle locks or feels loose.

I'm going to try to raise this with Bugaboo customer service.

can you get some more of the latchs many thanks

Hello All,

I am so relieved (and soooooooooooooo upset with Bugaboo) to find that I am not the only one with a faulty chassis Bugaboo Cameleon.
I can’t believe that I have recommended this buggy to so many friends.

I have bought my Bugaboo Cameleon in august 2007 for my first baby and up to 6 months ago I did not have any problem with it and I was really happy with the product.

My problem is , the same as the ones described above, the chassis recently stopped folding and started clicking and felt loose on the right hand side, and now it’s almost impossible to use the buggy as we are so scared to see the chassis collapsed and to fall with the buggy (and the baby) in the street….

After paying a bugaboo more than £650, I was expected to use it longer than 2 years.
I am know expecting my second baby and I really want to use my Bugabbo Camelon and I am soooooo upset with the way Bugaboo treat us….
So as I do not have ANY reply from the Customer service, could someone who knows how to repair it can send me some picures?
I have to say that I am completely worthless with repairing tools (and my husband is worst ) but if it’s the only way to have it repair (I still find incredible that for the amount we pay for this buggy there is NO repair shop in the UK….) I will give a try.

Thank YOU in advance for anyone liable to help me and Happy Christmas to you all!

Amelie

Just wondered whether a pram would be covered on house insurance? Might be worth enquiring?