CPSC, NHTSA and Kolcraft Announce Recall of Infant Car Seats/Carriers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Kolcraft Enterprises of Chicago, Ill., is recalling about 754,000 infant car seat/carriers for repair. When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly move from the intended carrying position, causing the seat to suddenly rotate. When this happens, the infant can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.

"Kolcraft is offering a free repair kit to address the problem," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "It's an easy repair to make, and it is designed to protect your baby from a very serious injury." There have been more than 3,000 reports of handle-related problems, the majority of which report that the handle of the infant car seat/carrier unexpectedly moved from the intended use position, resulting in 42 injuries to infants. Some children were restrained in the carrier and others were not. These injuries range from a skull fracture and concussions to cuts, scrapes and bruises. "Riding in a child safety seat on the car's rear seat for every trip is the safest way to transport young children in a motor vehicle," said NHTSA Acting Administrator Rosalyn Millman. "The recall announced today is not related to how the seat performs while in a car. Parents should continue using these carriers as car seats."

The recall involves Kolcraft infant car seat/carriers with the model names: Infant Rider, Secura, Travel-About, Plus 4, Plus 5, Kolcraft Infant Restraint, Kolcraft Infant Car Seat and Playskool Infant Car Seat manufactured from January 1, 1993, through June 30, 1999. The five-digit model/style number and manufacture date, written as month/day/year and possibly the model name are written on a label on the side of the seat. Some car seat/carriers also were sold with strollers.

If the first digits of the model/style numbers on your car seat/carrier match the numbers in the following list, then it is subject to this recall.

Model Style Number Series* of Affected Kolcraft Car Seat/Carriers

1312X, 1382X, 1383X, 1384X, 1385X, 368XX, 43XXX, 7700X

*There are a total of 50 Model/Style numbers affected by this recall.

Juvenile product, mass merchandise and major discount stores nationwide sold the car seat/carriers beginning in January 1993 for about $30 to $60 when sold alone, or $100 to $150 when sold with strollers.

Kolcraft will provide a free repair kit designed to make the handle more secure. The repair can be done easily in the home. Consumers should not carry the seat by the handle until it has been repaired. Consumers can continue to use the product as a car seat or in combination with the stroller. CPSC, NHTSA and Kolcraft remind parents and caregivers to always restrain infants when in the car seat/carrier according to instructions.

To receive a free repair kit or for more information, call Kolcraft toll free at (877) 776-2609, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Seats manufactured from July 1, 1999, have newly designed handle mechanisms and are not part of this recall. Also, the Kolcraft Rock N Ride is not part of this recall.

CPSC and NHTSA have cooperated in two other infant car seat/carrier recalls - Evenflo's On My Way and Cosco Inc.'s Arriva and Turnabout.

Kolcraft will provide, free of charge, an easy-to-install repair kit.

There have been more than 3,000 reports of handle-related problems, the majority of which report that the handle of the infant car seat/carrier unexpectedly moved from the intended use position, resulting in 42 injuries to infants. Some children were restrained in the carrier and others were not. These injuries range from a skull fracture and concussions to cuts, scrapes and bruises.