Child Car Seat Safety Alerts

Evenflo Company is recalling 202,346 Embrace 35 two-piece, rear-facing infant child restraints equipped with an AmSafe QT1 buckle.

The affected model numbers include:

• 30711365,
• 31511040,
• 31511323,
• 31511400,
• 3151198,
• 3151953,
• 31521138,
• 46811205,
• 46811237,
• 48111200,
• 48111215,
• 48111215A,
• 48111218,
• 48111234,
• 48111235,
• 48111235A,
• 48111462,
• 48411391,
• 48411391D,
• 48411392,
• 48411504,
• 48411504D,
• 52911307A,
• 52921040,
• 55311138,
• 55311238, and
• 55311292.

The restraints were manufactured at various times from December 2011, through May 2013.

Over time, use of the seat can make the harness buckle difficult to unlatch. A buckle that does not release easily, or possibly at all, may make it difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire or other emergency in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

Evenflo will notify registered owners and provide a remedy kit, including a replacement buckle and instructions for easy consumer removal of the AmSafe buckle and installation of the newly-designed replacement buckle. The recall is expected to begin on, or about, October 22, 2014.

Owners may contact Evenflo's toll-free number at 1-800-490-7591.

Graco Children's Products recalling 1.910,000 rear-facing child restraints manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013.

The models subject to recall include:

• SnugRide
• SnugRide Classic Connect (including Classic Connect 30 and 35)
• SnugRide 30
• SnugRide 35
• SnugRide Click Connect 40
• Aprica A30.

The defect involves difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle. In some cases, the buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle's release button.

It may be difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency, in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

Graco will replace the buckle with a new design, free of charge. The recall began on August 5, 2014. Owners may contact Graco at 1-877-766-7470 or by email at consumerservices@gracobaby.com.  

Not sure which car seat to use for your child?  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may have what you need.

The agency is launching a new Car Seat Finder Tool, adding the ability to look up car seat recalls on its mobile app, and reminding parents and caregivers to register their child's car seat through its new campaign – “Don't Delay. Register Your Car Seat Today.”

A child under the age of 13 is involved in a crash every 34 seconds and more than a third of children killed in crashes were not in car seats or wearing seat belts. NHTSA's new Car Seat Finder Tool is designed to help parents select the right car seat or booster seat for their child, while the campaign is a reminder of the importance of registering car seats to receive important safety recall notifications.

“Safety is our highest priority, and our new tool and registration campaign are two more ways we're working to protect our most vulnerable passengers -- our children,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Parents and caregivers are the first line of defense by ensuring they are selecting the right car seat, registering it, and using it correctly for every trip.”

Millions recalled

In 2014, NHTSA pushed manufacturers to recall seats with defective buckles to ensure owners received a replacement buckle at no cost. That led to the recall of more than 7.4 million car seats and yet -- on average -- only 40% of people get their car seat fixed, compared with an average of 75% for light vehicles, for which registration is required by law.

The NHTSA campaign urges caregivers to register their car seat so manufacturers know how to notify them of a recall and how to receive the free fix. The agency’s Parent Central site allows parents and caregivers to select their manufacturer or brand of car seat and directly links them to the manufacturer's registration page. In addition, the agency encourages people to utilize the updated SaferCar app which now allows users to search for car seat recalls, in addition to vehicle and tire recalls. The app also provides information on where people can go for help in installing their car seats.

“Regardless of age or the length of the trip, children should always be properly restrained in a car seat, booster or seat belt that is installed correctly and free from safety defects,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. “The first step for a parent is finding the right seat and our new Car Seat Finder Tool helps sort through the numerous options in car seats to ensure they're making the best choices for their child passengers.”

What to do

NHTSA offers parents and caregivers the following safety tips:

• Utilize NHTSA's Car Seat Finder Tool to determine the right seat for your child based on age and size;

• Read the instructions and labels that come with your child's car seat and read the vehicle owner's manual for important information on installing the seat in your particular vehicle;

• Register your child's car seat with the manufacturer to ensure you receive important safety recall notifications;

• If your child's car seat is subject to a recall, follow contact the manufacturer and follow their guidance to receive a free fix for your seat;

• Go to your local car seat inspection station to have your seat checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician;

• Use the lower anchors and tethers for child restraint systems or seat belt to install your car seat and use the top tether to secure forward-facing car seats;

• Be sure all children under 13 years are seated and properly restrained in the back seat; and

• Always wear your seat belt to set a good example. Unbuckled drivers are more likely to have unrestrained children in the car.

Recaro Child Safety is recalling 39,181 Recaro ProSport model 385 child restraints, manufactured from June 16, 2010, through January 31, 2013.

When the affected child seats are installed with the LATCH lower anchors only (without the top tether), the child's head can move excessively, increasing the risk of injury. In the event of a crash, the child restraint could fail to protect the child from contacting interior surfaces of the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

Recaro will notify registered owners and will provide, at no cost, a label to affix over the existing information label and a complete set of new instructions informing owners to discontinue use of the LATCH system when the weight of the child reaches 40 pounds. The campaign is expected to begin during August 2014.

Owners may contact Recaro at 1-888-973-2276.

Baby Trend, Inc. is recalling 16,655 model year 2011 and 2012 TrendZ Fastback 3-in-1 child restraints, models FB60070 (Granite) and FB60408 (Jellybean), manufactured between October 2011, and July 2013.

A defect makes it difficult to unlatch the harness buckle. In some cases, the buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle's release button.

This could make it hard to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an emergency in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

Baby Trend will notify registered owners and will provide replacement buckles when they become available. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule or buckle availability schedule.

Owners may contact Baby Trend at 1-800-328-7363.  

Evenflo Company is recalling 1,368,649 convertible and harnessed child restraints, models Momentum 65 (including LX and DLX), Chase (including LX, DLX, and Select), Maestro (including Performance), Symphony (including 65, LX, 65 E3, and DLX), Snugli All-In-One, Snugli Booster, Titan 65, SureRide DLX, and Secure Kid (including LX, DLX, 100, 300, and 400).

The affected seats have model number prefixes of 306, 308, 310, 329, 345, 346, 371 or 385.

The defect involves difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle. In the convertible car seats and harnessed booster seats, the buckle may become stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle's release button.

That could make it hard to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an emergency in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

Evenflo will notify registered owners in April 2014, and start providing replacement buckles along with installation instructions.

Owners may contact Evenflo at 1-800-490-7591 or online at www.buckle.evenflo.com .

A complete list of the production dates of the affected seats is available at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM453080/RCDNN-14C003-7777.pdf

Not all seats within the date ranges listed are included, so consumers should contact Evenflo at the above number or website with the seat's model and date of manufacture to confirm that their seat is included.

In early February, Graco Children's Products announced the recall of millions of model year 2009 through 2013 toddler and booster child restraints.

The defect involves difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle. In some cases, the buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle's release button. It may be difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency, in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

The company is now including an additional 403,222 seats in this recall, bringing the total to more than 4.1 million. The following model year 2006 through 2014 seats are included:

• Argos 70 Elite
• Ready Ride
• Step 2
• My Ride 65 with Safety Surround
• My Size 70
• Head Wise 70 with Safety Surround
• Nautilus 3-in-1
• Nautilus Plus
• Smart Seat with Safety Surround

Graco is offering to replace the buckle with a new design, free of charge. Registered owners will be notified beginning around early April 2014, and offered the free replacement buckle.

All other owners may contact Graco at 1-800-345-4109 (toll-free) or 1-330-869-7225.

Graco Children's Products is recalling 3,773,379 model year 2009 through 2013 toddler and booster child restraints. The models subject to recall include:

• Cozy Cline
• Comfort Sport
• Classic Ride 50
• My Ride 65
• My Ride with Safety Surround
• My Ride 70
• Size 4 Me 70
• Smartseat Nautilus
• Nautilus Elite
• Argos 70

The alleged defect involves difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle. In some cases, the buckle becomes stuck in a latched condition so that it cannot be opened by depressing the buckle's release button.

The problems could make it difficult to remove the child from the restraint, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency, in which a prompt exit from the vehicle is required.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation into the problem based on 25 reports from consumers that alleged difficulty in unlatching the harness buckle on their subject child seat.

Since opening the investigation ODI has received 55 additional reports. Consumers state that excessive force and/or effort is required to push the button to unlatch the harness. Some reported not being able to unlatch the buckle at all and were forced to remove their children by pulling them through the still buckled harness, or in some cases, by cutting the harness straps.

The subject child seats utilize two different types (designs) of harness buckles, the "Signature" and the "QT" types, both of which are subject to the investigation. Each buckle type operates differently and has dissimilar latching and actuating mechanisms. The Signature buckle has a sliding release button that must be pushed downward to release the harness, while the QT buckle has a button that must be pushed inward to be released.

Graco acknowledges that food and dried liquids that can make some harness buckles progressively more difficult to open over time or become stuck in the latched position. But, the company says, this does not in any way affect the performance of the car seat or the effectiveness of the buckle to restrain the child.

The company is offering what it says is a new and improved replacement harness buckle to affected consumers at no cost. Graco says if cleaning has not improved the performance of the buckle, consumers may contact customer service 800-345-4109 (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.) or by email at consumerservices@gracobaby.com.  

Federal safety regulators are looking into reports from parents who say the harness buckles on their Evenflo car seats are difficult or, in some cases, impossible to unlatch.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received 18 complaints from consumers, including three who said they had to cut the harness straps to free their child from the seat.

At least one person had to call for help because of the problem.

"I buckled my daughter into her carseat and took off to our destination. When we arrived, I could not unbuckle her," the complainant said. "I called the police and they helped me to get her out safely by cutting the straps."

Another parent who could not manage to unbuckle her daughter's strap noted the situation poses a critical hazard in the event of a fire: "If there had been an accident with fire, the only way to get the baby out would be to remove the whole car seat from the vehicle. Her father had told me a week ago to carry scissors in case something happened so I could cut her out."

One person said it took more than two hours to free their child frp, tje seat: "Several adults tried with the father trying for two hours."

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation said a preliminary check of the database indicated that Evenflo may have manufactured some of its car seats with buckles made by AmSafe Commercial Products, which had been investigated earlier. 

The current investigation, formally known as a "preliminary evaluation" is the first step in the process that can eventually lead to a recall.

Combi USA is recalling 33,139 model 8220 (Coccoro) child restraints manufactured January 6, 2009, through December 5, 2012; model 8836 (Zeus 360) child restraints manufactured February 25, 2009, through May 24, 2012; and model 8815 (Zeus Turn) manufactured from July 15, 2007, through March 25, 2009.

The harness webbing fails to meet minimum breaking strength requirements. In the event of a crash, a child may not be remain adequately secured, increasing the risk of injury.

Combi will notify registered owners and provide free harness replacement kits along with repair instructions. The recall is expected to begin by February 6, 2014.

Owners may contact Combi at 1-800-543-7734 or visit their website at www.combi-intl.com. The seats can continue to be used until the kits are made available.

Joovy is recalling about 1,500 Zoom car seat adapters.

Adapter clips can loosen on the stroller frame, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received nine reports of incidents involving loose adapters on stroller frames. There are no injuries reported.

This recall involves all Joovy’s Zoom gray metal car seat stroller adapters. The adapters are gray with black plastic clips designed to attach infant car seats to stroller frames. The adapter frame’s dimensions are approximately 17” x 13” x 10”. Recalled car seat adapter models include 00945 for Graco, 00946 for Chicco and 00947 for Peg Perego frames. “Joovy” and the model numbers can be found on the label at the center of the end bar of the adapter.

The car seat adapters, manufactured in China, were sold at independent specialty juvenile retailers and online at Joovy.com between May 2012, and August, 2013 for about $25.

Consumers should stop using these adapters and contact Joovy for a free repair kit to help assure proper attachment to Zoom stroller frames.

Consumers may contact Joovy toll-free at (855) 251-0759 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Orbit Baby is recalling 2,962 G2 Car Seat Bases, Model No. ORB822000, manufactured from March 20, 2013, through July 20, 2013, with batch numbers A0840, A0860, or A0880.

The StrongArm Knob component of the Orbit Baby G2 Car Seat Base intended to secure the seat's base, may become detached or spin. If the seat base is not properly secured, a child may be at an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Registered owners will be notified and Orbit will provide a free remedy kit along with repair instructions to them or any owner that notifies Orbit of the need for a kit. The recall is expected to begin during November 2013.

Owners may contact Orbit Baby customer service at 1-877-672-2229.

Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) is recalling 89,527 Safety 1st Complete Air LX (models CC050xxx), Safety 1st Complete Air SE (models CC051xxx), and Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite (models 22187xxx , 22465xxx ,CC033xxx , and CC046xxx), and Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3 in 1 convertible (models 22790xxx , and CC046xxx) child restraint systems manufactured from July 20, 2010, through May 18, 2011. [Note: The 'xxx' at the end of each model number represents different color options that each seat could be.]

The rear facing belt path installation arrows are incorrect and could be potentially construed as pointing toward the forward facing vehicle belt path location. If the child seat is not installed properly, the child may be injured in the event of a crash.

DJG will notify registered owners and provide free label kits consisting of modified labels which will correct the potential inconsistent information and instructions as to the proper installation of the restraint, free of charge.

Owners may call DJG toll-free at 1-877-675-2355.

Britax is recalling certain 55,455 convertible child restraints:

• Models: Boulevard 70 G3, Advocate 70 G3, and Pavilion 70 G3.
• Model Numbers: E9LJ91A, E9LJ91M, E9LJ91S, E9LJ92E, E9LJ93P, E9LJ93S, E9LK91A, E9LK31A, E9LK31Q, E9LK32D, E9LK32Z, E9LK33Q, E9LL11A, E9LL11Q, E9LL12D, E9LL12Z, E9LG81A, E9LG83N, E9LG83P, E9LG83X, E9LG83Y, E9LL21A, E9LL23P, E9LL23Y.

The seats, manufactured from June 2012 through August 2012, have a softer chest pad material that may be bitten or chewed into pieces by a child using the seat. If the child bites off a piece of the softer pad, it could be a choking hazard, resulting in injury or death.

Britax will provide owners with replacement HUGS pads that are made from a firmer material and instructions on how to replace the pads free of charge. Owners may remove the HUGS pads and continue using the seat until replacement pads are received.

The safety recall is expected to begin shortly.

Owners may contact Britax Customer Service Department at 1-888-427-4829 with questions or to request replacement pads in the event their restraint is not already registered with Britax.

Evenflo is recalling about 151 Big Kid Factory Select booster seats, Model Nos. 30911173AD, 3091967AD, 30911118AD, and 30911120D, shipped between August 6, 2012, and September 18, 2012. The seats fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraint Systems."

The recalled seats were originally manufactured solely for purposes of retail display and not to be sold at retail and were packaged without the instruction manual or the required registration card. They were inadvertently shipped to Evenflo's institutional customers (i.e. hospitals, government agencies) to be given to families. None of the affected units were sold at retail stores.

Without the instruction manual the seat may be used improperly. Should owners not file a registration with the child seat manufacturer due to lack of information on how to do so, they may not be notified of a safety recall. Either condition puts the child at an increased risk of possible injury in the event of a crash.

The affected seats have a label stating: "DISPLAY ONLY – NOT INTENDED FOR SALE," located on the back of the booster seat headrest. Evenflo will mail owners who have received an affected Big Kid booster seat a remedy kit that includes a consumer registration card, an instruction manual, and an overlabel to cover the current label stating: "DISPLAY ONLY – NOT INTENDED FOR SALE." The remedy kit will be provided free of charge. Notification is expected to begin during October 2012.

Owners may contact Evenflo at 1-800-233-5921.

It's not enough that you use a car seat for your children anytime they get in a vehicle. If it isn't properly installed they could still be at risk in the event of an accident.

AAA, after a recent survey, said it's clear that many parents are still missing the mark, even with new technologies like Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) that are supposed to take some of the guesswork out of the process.

AAA's recent survey of Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs), those certified to inspect and properly install car seats, reveals that LATCH misuse is cause for concern. Nearly three-quarters of CPSTs surveyed observe parents misusing the LATCH system more than half of the time.

"While strides have been made to make car seats easier to use, the overwhelming majority of car seats are still not installed properly," said Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, manager, Traffic Safety Advocacy at AAA.

LATCH has been standard equipment since 2002 and is generally regarded as a user-friendly alternative to the seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 75 percent of parents with experience installing car seats using both methods prefer LATCH.

No guarantee

Despite this preference, LATCH does not guarantee a perfect installation; a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) survey found that only 13 percent of parent volunteers were able to use LATCH correctly to install car seats.

Part of the problem is where parents place the seat. For years they have been told the safest position in the vehicle is the rear-center seat. However, in an IIHS study of 2010-11 model year vehicles, only seven of the 98 top-selling vehicles supported LATCH use in the rear-center seat.

AAA's safety experts say many parents make the mistake of using the inner anchor for each outboard seat to install a car seat in the center seat using LATCH. If the vehicle does not support a LATCH installation in the rear-center seat, a seat belt should be used to secure the car seat, or the car seat should be moved to an outboard seat.

Parents should also consult the vehicle owner's manual before installing a car seat in any vehicle, AAA says.

Target is recalling about 375,000 Circo child booster seats. The booster seat’s restraint buckle can open unexpectedly, allowing a child to fall from the chair and be injured.

Target recalled 43,000 of the seats in August 2009. The current recall was launched after additional reports of injuries and mishaps.

Target has received 10 additional reports of booster seat buckles opening unexpectedly, including three reports of bumps and/or bruises when a child fell forward out of the booster seat, hitting an object or the floor.

The expanded recall involves all Circo Booster Seats, including those sold as early as 2005. The plastic booster seats are blue with green trim and a white plastic restraint buckle. They attach to an adult chair to boost a child to a table. “Circo” and “Booster Seat” can be found on a green label located in the front of the booster seat.

Target stores sold the seats nationwide from January 2005 through June 2009 for about $13. They were made in China.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled booster seats and return them to any Target store for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.target.com

March 5, 2009
Recaro is recalling about 5,400 Signo child restraint systems. A defective spring could allow the central front adjuster strap to slip, keeping the harness from being securely tightened.

In the event of a crash, a child might not be properly secured and could be injured or killed.

Recaro will notify ownes and replace any defective system free of cahrge. Owners can contact Recaro at 1-888-473-2290.

Consumers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or at www.safercar.gov.

December 12, 2008
Britax is recalling certain Frontier child restraint systems because of a problem with the harness straps.

The recall affects Models E9L54E7 (Frontier Red Rock), E9L54H6 (Frontier Rushmore), E9L54H7 (Frontier Pink Sky), E9L54M6 (Frontier Canyon), and E9L5490 (Frontier Sahara), manufactured between April 1 and September 18, 2008.

If the harness straps are loosened using one strap at a time, the harness straps may become detached from the metal yoke located on the back of the child seat. Should the harness straps become detached, the child will not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in an increased risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash.

Britax will mail the consumer notice and remedy kits to all registered owners free of charge. Owners who have not registered their seats with Britax must call Britax at 1-704-409-1700 and request a kit. The recall is expected to begin on or about January 7, 2009.

Information and instructions related to the campaign will be posted on the Britax website at www.britaxusa.com no later than December 17, 2008. Owners with other questions can contact Britax at 1-704-409-1700.

Consumers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or at www.safercar.gov.

December 9, 2008
Graco is recalling nearly 44,000 Comfortsport convertible car seats, in the Frazier Fashion line.

These seats were equipped with a large sized, supplemental pad or "body pillow" that partially obscures the child airbag warning label which is on the seat pad, a violation of federal safety standards. Serious injury could occur to the child should the seat be improperly placed in the vehicle.

Owners may contact Graco at 1-800-345-4109 or by e-mail at consumerservices@gracobaby.com.

The recalled seats were manufactured from November 1, 2006 through October 8, 2007.

Dubrow, her husband and two small children flew from Seattle to San Diego in December, renting a car and two child safety seats from Advantage Rent A Car. The seats, she says, had obvious problems.

"Some seats were obviously missing parts. Some were obviously very old," she told ConsumerAffairs.com. "We installed two of the better looking seats thinking that they were okay only to find that they were not working.

"One was missing the top part of the harness that would secure the child in a crash, the other had a seatbelt that wouldn't tighten enough to secure our child. It took us quite some time to find working seats to install," she said. "The seats were also filthy, with huge black marks on some and dirt or crumbs on others."

Dubrow says that when she complained to the rental car manager, he offered to refund the money for the seats, but otherwise offered no help. It wasn't just a matter of poor customer service, she says, it was a violation of the law.

"In California, there are clear laws regarding child safety seat rental. These old, non-working seats were not only unsafe, they were also against the law," Dubrow said.

Media attention

Dubrow didn't take the experience sitting down. She blogged about it, gaining the attention of a TV station in San Diego, which reported on her experience.

As a result, she says, Advantage performed a company-wide inspection of their car seats, destroying any that did not meet the legal guidelines. The company has also instituted a company-wide Child Safety Seat policy to ensure that they rent only safe, clean car seats in the future.

"The problems were really obvious," Dubrow said. "I don't have any knowledge about car seats beyond what a well-informed parent would have after purchasing their own seats and using them daily. In my opinion, it is something that Advantage employees should have recognized."

The take-away lesson for parents, she says, is to never assume that a car seat is safe, simply because a company is renting it.

"If you see a company putting people at risk, take action to make it better," Dubrow said.

What to do

Dubrow says parents need to know how to check a rental for safety. Here's what to look for:

• Inspect each seat thoroughly for any evidence of cracking, twisting, worn harness webbing or broken buckles.

• Verify that seatbelts are threaded through the proper channels.

• Once you have latched the buckles, pull hard to make sure that they do not detach.

• Find the "birth date" label on the side or back of the seat, and don't use a seat more than 5 years old.

• Get a copy of the car seat manual

"I was shocked at how many parents responded saying 'I've seen that before.' I'm hopeful that my story will inspire others to take action," Dubrow said.

Evenflo is recalling 1 million car safety seats because of a serious risk of injury or death in a collision, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety administration (NHTSA).

The models covered by the recall are the 390, 391, 534, and 552 Discovery car seat and travel system manufactured from April 2005 through January 2008.

Recent tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Evenflo indicate the car seat could break apart and separate from the base during high impact side collisions.

Evenflo plans to notify registered owners of the seats and provide a free supplemental dual-hook fastener to ensure that the car seat remains attached to its base in a high impact collision.

The recall is scheduled to begin in February. Owners should call Evenflo at 1-800-356-2229.

Consumers can also contact NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.safecar.gov.

A new five-star government rating system will grade child safety seats on how easy they are to properly install and will help guide parents in choosing the right car seat to keep their children safe, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said.

NHTSA data indicates that seven out of 10 child safety seats are either the wrong size for the child or are seriously misused, reducing their effectiveness in a crash, according to the agency reported.

NHTSA estimates properly-used child restraint systems will reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars. The reduction declines in light trucks to 58 percent for infants and 59 percent for toddlers.

The new rating system is designed help consumers assess the safety seats on the ease with which they can be used by parents.

Even the safest car seat can't protect a child if it isn't installed correctly, Secretary Peters said. These new star ratings arm parents with the best information and challenge manufacturers to make car seats that are easier for parents to use.

The five-star rating system will award an overall star rating as well as individual star ratings in four categories: securing the child, vehicle installation features, labeling and instructions. Five stars represent the highest rating and one star signifies the lowest rating.

These changes will make it easier for consumers to compare products and determine which child safety seat is easiest for their daily routines, said NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason.

Transportation officials said the new ratings system does not indicate how effective a seat is in protecting a child in a crash but compares the ease of use. The new system replaces an older ratings program which used letter grade

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have recalled 450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seats and Carriers because the infant in the seat can unexpectedly fall causing serious injury.

Evenflo has received 679 reports of the handle on the car seat and carriers unexpectedly releasing, resulting in 160 injuries to children. These reports include a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises.

The two agencies said the problem is that when used as an infant carrier the handle can unexpectedly release causing the infant seat to rotate forward.

The recall involves Evenflo Embrace Infant Car Seat/Carriers made before April 8, 2006. The recalled car seat/carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599. The model number and production date information can be found on a white label on the bottom of the carrier and on the top of the convenience base.

Models beginning with 5 are units sold with the travel system (compatible stroller). Evenflo is on the carrying handle and car seat base. Embrace infant car seat/carriers made on or after April 8, 2006, are not included in this recall.

Stores nationwide sold the car seat and carriers from December 2004 through September 2006 for between $70 and $100 when sold alone and between $140 and $200 when sold with a compatible stroller.

The seats are manufactured both in the U.S. and China

The government agencies warn consumers that they not use the handle until the repair kit has been installed but the product can continue to be used as a car seat when secured in a vehicle.

Consumers should contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit that strengthens the handle latch. The recall notice will be sent to all registered owners of the recalled product. The recalled units should not be returned to the retailer.

For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 490-7497 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the recall Web site at www.embracehandle.com.

December 28, 2006
A study comes to the hardly surprising conclusion that parents are still confused by child safety seats.

The new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that too many parents are still not properly using the new safety LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) technology designed to better secure child safety seats to vehicles because of a lack of education about the system and how to use it.

"LATCH was supposed to simplify child safety seat installation for parents and this study shows that isn't happening." said NHTSA Administrator Nicole R. Nason.

LATCH is an installation system that was created to standardize the way child safety seats are attached to vehicles without having to use a seat belt. It consists of two lower attachments and an upper tether on a child safety seat that anchors and connects with lower anchors and a top tether built into a vehicle's back seat.

When it became fully effective in September 2002, the agency had hoped LATCH would make child safety seats easier for parents to use.

But the survey found that 40 percent of parents still rely on the vehicles' seat belts when installing their car seat. It also indicated many parents are unaware of the existence of or the importance of the tethers when securing the seat to the vehicle and only 55 percent of parents using the top tether.

Nason said that as a result of the study, she intends to convene a meeting early next year of auto manufacturers, car seat manufacturers, retailers and consumer activists to discuss ways to make the safety system more efficient.

"LATCH is an effective way to keep children restrained in a vehicle and safe in the event of a crash, and parents need to be better educated about it," said Nason. "We need to find a way to make the devices better known and easier to use."

NHTSA rated 99 child safety seats for ease of use from 14 different manufacturers for 2006. Of the 99 seats rated, 85 received an overall score of A. In 2005, 74 percent of rated seats received an overall score of A. The agency uses a grading system of A, B, or C to denote how easy it is to use the safety seats. The top grade is A.

In addition to the overall rating, NHTSA also uses the letter grading system to denote how well the child safety seats perform in five individual categories: assembly requirements; clarity of labeling; clarity of written instructions; ease of securing a child and ease of installation in a vehicle. Clearer labels and instructions accounted for most of the improvements in 2006.

"Knowing what rating a child safety or booster seat has is the best way for parents to buy one that is safe, effective and easy to use," said NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason.

NHTSA began its "Ease of Use" ratings for child restraint systems, including booster seats, in 2003.

The 2006 ratings represent approximately 95 percent of safety seats currently available to consumers. As in 2005, there were no safety seats that received an overall "C" rating; however, there were several "C" scores in some individual categories.

Three seats that were rated in previous years improved their overall scores from a B to an A. These seats were the Triple Play Sit N Stroll (formerly manufactured by Safeline), Evenflo Big Kid (HB), and Evenflo Discovery.

A number of redesigned seats that were re-rated maintained their A ratings. In most cases, improvements were seen within categories that they had formerly been assigned B or C ratings in. These seats were the Cosco Alpha Omega 5pt, Evenflo Big Kid (No Back), Evenflo Embrace, Evenflo Discovery, Graco Comfort Sport, and Safety 1st Surveyor.

The complete list of seats rates is available at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CPS/CSSRating/Index.cfm.

The NHTSA survey also notes that LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children), a system that makes child safety seat installation easier is required for most vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2002.

The new proposal requires these manufacturers to build seats capable of protecting children up to 10 years old and weighing up to 80 pounds from death or serious injury in 30 mile-per-hour crashes.

Also, under the proposal NHTSA would use a new, fully instrumented dummy simulating an 80-pound, 10 year-old child to make sure seats meet the proposed new requirements.

Currently, NHTSA tests booster seats rated to accommodate children weighing a maximum of 65 pounds.

"Americas kids come in all shapes and sizes, and car crashes are the leading killers of children in this country," said Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "We need to make sure that child safety seats and booster seats protect our kids no matter how large or how small they are."

The proposal is part of the agencys effort to comply Antons law, which required NHTSA to expand the scope of federal standards governing child safety seats, including booster seats.

The law was named after Anton Skeen, a four-year boy who was ejected and killed in a car crash in Oregon in 1996.

July 8, 2005
Combi USA, Inc. is recalling its "Avatar Model 8100" child safety seats. The recall involves the entire production of this model from November 2003 through May 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.

As part of a new system for child seat installation, newly manufactured child safety seats must include attachments that fasten to permanent anchors in a vehicles back seat, located where the cushions meet. This system is known as "LATCH" (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). In the case of the Avatar seats being recalled, the lower attachment straps fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 for child restraint systems.

If the child seat is attached using the LATCH system and a crash occurs, the attachment straps could detach from the vehicles lower anchors - possibly resulting in a serious or even fatal injury to the child.

Registered owners of these child safety seats will automatically receive a repair kit along with repair instructions in the mail. Those not registered need to request the kit from the manufacturer. Until the latch belt assembly is replaced, Combi USA advises owners to use the seat only with the vehicles safety belts and not with the LATCH system.

Owners who do not receive the free kit within a reasonable time should contact Combi USA toll free at 800-992-6624 or visit Combis website at www.combi-intl.com.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSAs toll free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or check NHTSAs website at www.safercar.gov.

Britax is recalling 355,516 child seats because a harness can come loose, federal safety officials said.

Britax is recalling all Marathon, Husky, Wizard and Snug Seat Traveler Plus seats. The seats were made between August 2002 and this July and have the model numbers E9L06, E9L30, E9L07 and E9L32, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The defect was discovered during company testing. Britax found that the adjuster strap could slip within the metal buckle that controls the tightness of the shoulder harness. If the strap slips far enough, the harness could loosen and the child could fall forward in an accident.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the defect.

Britax will provide consumers with a free kit that will allow them to fix the problem by replacing the adjuster strap. Registered owners should receive the kit by Sept. 30. Consumers who did not register should call 800-683-2045 to receive a kit.

In the meantime, Britax said consumers should check to see if the strap is slipping and should use a different seat if it is.

Britax said seats made after Aug. 1 are not affected. The company also said it is recalling all seats not yet purchased and retrofitting them with the new strap. A spokeswoman for the company could not immediately say how much the recall will cost.

Britax Child Safety, Inc. is conducting a voluntary recall on Husky child restraints. It was determined that certain uses of the restraints may not meet federal standards for head excursion. No other products are involved.

Affected restraints are Husky restraints installed with lap belt only installation as described in the current users manual for a long/serpentine belt path. When installed in this manner, in the event of a crash in the motor vehicle, head excursions higher than allowed by Standard 213 could result.

All Husky owners who returned a registration card are automatically receiving labels and instructions for placement of the new labels over the corresponding instructions in the current users guide and restraint cover label. Owners should be receiving this information within the week (by January 21). These labels and instructions will advise consumers using the lap belt only installation to reroute the lap belt to use an alternative, short belt path. This reinstallation will reduce loads to assure aafety standard compliance.

The affected seats should not be returned to the Britax retailer. The retailers do not have access to the labels and instructions. After January 21, all consumers who did not return a registration card, but own a Husky child restraint should contact Britax at 1-888-4BRITAX (1-888-427-4829).

In order to receive the label and instructions, owners will need to provide Britax with the following information: Name, Address, Daytime Telephone Number, Manufacturing Date, and Batch of the Husky. This information can be obtained from the label affixed to the back of the restraint.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a safety recall of Britax child safety seats.

The recall involves 9,922 Roundabout convertible safety seats manufactured between Jan. 13, 1999, and March 14, 1999, that do not comply with the federal safety standard for child safety seats.

The shells for these seats were improperly molded during manufacture and could allow a child's head to move farther forward in a crash than allowed by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraint Systems." The fault is an inadequate bond in the area of the harness adjuster attachment. In a crash, excessive head movement could permit a child's head to strike part of the vehicle, causing injury.

Britax has developed a shoulder pad kit that can be easily installed by the owner. Consumers who returned a registration card to Britax will automatically receive a free remedy kit. Owners who did not submit a registration card should call Britax at (888) 427-4829 to obtain a free repair kit. Customers should not return their safety seats to retailers because retailers do not have the remedy kits.

"Parents should obtain and install the repair kit as soon as possible, so that the child seat provides maximum protection for the child," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Rosalyn Millman. "Parents and caregivers should properly restrain children in the back seat for every trip."

Millman advised parents to continue to use the seat while waiting to receive and install the repair kit because it will still provide better protection than an adult seat belt or no restraint.

For more information, owners can call (888) 427-4829, or write to Britax Child Safety, Inc., 460-R Greenway Industrial Drive, Fort Mill, S.C. 29708.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSA's toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

WASHINGTON --Safety 1st is voluntarily recalling about 1.5 million Fold-Up Booster Seats, intended for children who can sit unassisted through about 4 years of age. The top half of the seat inserts can separate, and a child can fall from the chair and be injured.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

CPSC and Safety 1st have received 32 reports where the seat halves separated. There were seven reports of injuries from falls including bumps, cuts, bruises and a fractured arm.

Major toy, hardware and department stores nationwide sold these seats from January 1994 through August 1999 for about $18. Consumers should stop using these seats immediately and contact Safety 1st to receive a free repair kit with instructions. Consumers can contact Safety 1st at (888) 579-1730 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or go to the firm's web site at www.safety1st.com.

Only Safety 1st Fold-Up Booster Seats with model numbers 173, 173A and 173B are included in this recall. Booster seats with model numbers 173Cand 173D, which have four indentations on the bottom, are not included in this recall. The model number is located on the back of the booster seat, inside the left arm panel.

The booster seat is made of blue plastic with green and red arms and includes a yellow feeding tray. The seat insert for the booster seat is made up of two halves that are "press-fitted" together. They have a smooth surface bottom, with no indentations. The booster seats have a restraint system made up of a two-piece waist strap and one crotch strap. "SAFETY 1ST" is molded on the top and bottom of the seat insert.