Graco is recalling 3.8 million child safety seats due to issues with the buckles.
Graco is recalling 11 models of child safety seats totaling nearly 3.8 million units due to buckles that may not unlatch; however, the company is locked in a battle with the government over another seven models it will not recall.
In the 11 models, which were sold from 2009 to 2013, sometimes the buckles do not unlatch without using excessive force, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), or in some cases the belts have had to be cut to remove the child in the seat.
To date, there have been 80 complaints filed about the seats, although no injuries or deaths have been attributed to the seats.
“As part of our continuous product testing and improvement process, Graco identified 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,” the company said on its website.
“Therefore, Graco has decided to conduct a voluntary recall on the harness buckles used on all toddler convertible car seats and harnessed booster seats manufactured from 2009 to July 2013. Graco would like to stress this does not in any way affect the performance of the car seat or the effectiveness of the buckle to restrain the child. And a car seat is always the safest way to transport your child.”
As for the other seven models, which total an additional 1.8 million seats, the agency and company are negotiating over how best to handle the situation, including a potential recall. If the two sides cannot reach a resolution, they could end up in court.
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“NHTSA’s investigation will remain open pending its evaluation of the Graco recall and until the Agency’s consideration of the review of the seven remaining seat models is completed,” the agency said in a statement. The other seven models use the same buckles, but are rear-facing seats, which are unlikely to have the same problems with dried liquids, according to the company.
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The recalled models 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 and Argos 70.
Graco will install “a new and improved replacement harness buckle to affected consumers at no cost,” the company said on its website, but it hasn’t informed NHTSA of how it plans to notify owners.
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In a letter to NHTSA, the company said it had been monitoring the performance of the buckles since 2009 and had given owners advice on how to use and clean them and offered replacement buckles. Consumers can contact Graco at 1-800-345-4109 (toll-free) or 1-330-869-7225.