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

Recalled December 20, 1999 · CPSC recall 00034 · NHTSA and Kolcraft

Hazard

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.

Remedy

Check the label on the side of the product for the manufacturing date and five-digit model/style number and contact Kolcraft, which will provide, free of charge, an easy-to-install repair kit. Until the carrier has been repaired, do not to carry the seat by its handle, but by the head and foot of the seat. The seat still can and should be used as a car seat.

Units

About 754,000

Incidents / injuries

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.

Description

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

What to do

Contact

Kolcraft toll free at (877) 776-2609, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. NHTSA: (888) 327-4236 or www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Product

Kolcraft infant car seats/carriers

Manufacturer(s)

Kolcraft Enterprises, of Chicago, Ill.

Retailers

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.

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Official recall notice on cpsc.gov →