Kolcraft infant car seats/carriers
CPSC Recall #00-034 - December 19, 1999
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 00-034 |
| Recall Date | December 19, 1999 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 754,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| 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. |
Product
Kolcraft infant car seats/carriers
Description
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. Recall Facts What Kolcraft infant car seats/carriers Why When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly move from the intended carrying position, causing the seat to suddenly rotate. The infant can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries Remedy Kolcraft will provide, free of charge, an easy-to-install repair kit How many About 754,000 manufactured from January 1, 1993, through June 30, 1999 What to do Check the label on the side of the product for the manufacturing date and five-digit model/style number. Contact Kolcraft toll-free at (877) 776-2609, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 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 More information Kolcraft: (877) 776-2609 NHTSA: (888) 327-4236 or www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Hazard
When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly move from the intended carrying position, causing the seat to suddenly rotate. The infant can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.
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.
Remedy Instructions
Kolcraft will provide, free of charge, an easy-to-install repair kit.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.