Graco Expands Recall of Car Seats—Largest Car Seat Recall in U.S.

Graco’s Children’s Products has recalled 1.9 million infant car seats following a months-long debate with U.S. regulators about a faulty buckle, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

Earlier this year, the company recalled more than 4 million toddler car seats after receiving reports of children getting stuck in the seats when the buckle jammed. In some cases, parents had to cut the harnesses to get their kids out.

At the time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged Graco to recall several other models of its infant seats as well because they were equipped with the same buckle. But the company initially balked at expanding the recall. Graco said that the infant seats worked differently and could be removed from the car in an emergency without having to get the child out first.

It added that the buckles tended to jam when gummed up by food and drink, which wouldn’t occur with an infant seat.

But in a June 27 letter to the NHTSA, Graco indicated that further investigation showed a “higher than typical level of difficulty” in unbuckling the infant latch. With this latest recall, Graco is now responsible for the largest car seat recall in American history.

The company is offering free replacement buckles to consumers. The affected car seat models are the SnugRide, SnugRide Classic Connect (including Classic Connect 30 and 35), SnugRide 30, SnugRide 35, SnugRide Click Connect 40, and Aprica A30. They were manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013.

Customers can still request new buckles even if their car seat does not fall within the scope of the recall, according to the report.

You can find out whether your car seat is included in the recall by checking the white label on the bottom of the infant seat carrier. You can then enter the model name and date of manufacture at GracoBuckleRecall.com or call (877) 766- 7470 to order the replacement parts.

Don’t Stop Using Your Graco Car Seat Now

If you are currently using a Graco car seat that is included in the recall, you don’t have to stop using it right away. According to the company, there have been no reports of injuries caused by a stuck buckle. However, it does recommend checking your buckles to make sure they are free from any food, drink or other debris to reduce the risk of jamming.

Car Seats Can Be Dangerous In Other Ways

In a survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that in one year, more than 618,000 children ranging from infants to age 12 rode in vehicles without a car seat, booster seat or seat belt at least some of the time.  This is an unacceptable statistic. The CDC says that car seat use reduces the risk of death to infants by 71 percent if an accident occurs. For toddlers, using child safety seats cuts the risk of fatalities by 54 percent.

However, it is true that sometimes car seats are designed and sold with defects that can lead to catastrophic injuries or death when a crash happens. In those situations, it may be worthwhile to talk with a qualified product liability attorney about the circumstances of the case.

In a defective products case, a number of parties may be held liable for the defect, including the manufacturer, distributor, supplier or retailer. Some examples of defects that have led to car seat recalls in recent years include:

• Faulty latches
• Misplaced safety restraints
• Poor cushioning that can’t absorb crash forces
• Breakable chest clips
• Flammable fabric
• Plastic shell fracturing
• Incorrect labeling
• Base/shell separation
• Improper rotation
• Inadequate support
• Defective harnesses
• Shoulder strap flaws

No family should ever suffer the pain of losing a child due to a defective car seat. If this has happened to you or someone you know, urge them to speak with an attorney.

To learn more about current car seat recalls, click here. You can also refer to NHTSA’s car seat information or visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission to check out other recalls.