Graco Children’s Products recently recalled almost 3.8 million car seats because faulty buckles can make it difficult to free the child in an emergency, such as a car accident; this has been their largest recall within the past five years. Federal Safety Regulators have asked for an additional 1.8 million seats because the recall did not go far enough.
The seats in the recall are the 2009 to 2013 model years of the 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.
The investigation into the seats began in 2012 after some parents complained to regulators that they had to cut the straps to remove their children. More specifically, one parent complained to the safety agency that it took 45 minutes to free her toddler and that worked only after the straps were loosened.
Graco told regulators that the problems with the buckles stemmed from contamination with “foreign material such as food or dried liquids.” But investigators dismissed that explanation, saying that buckles getting dirty with food and drink was “completely foreseeable,” and not an excuse.
The 1.8 million additional seats the safety agency wants recalled are rear-facing models used for infants. They are the Snugride, Snugride 30, Snugride 32, Infant Safe Seat-Step 1, Snugride 35, Tuetonia 35, and Snugride Click Connect 40.
Jason Stone and his team of MA Defective Product Lawyers strongly recommend returning these Graco car sears to anyone who has purchased one, in order to ensure your child’s safety.