Evenflo Recalls 1.37 Million Cars Seats After Complaints Of Buckles Getting Stuck

As expected, Evenflo Company, Inc., has initiated a voluntary recall of select convertible car seats and harnessed booster seats due to the harness crotch buckle. In their press release the company notes that the buckles, which meet all requirements for crashworthiness, may become resistant to unlatching over time, due to exposure to various contaminants (like food and drinks) that are present in everyday use of the seats by toddlers. This condition may make it difficult to remove children from their seat. This U.S. recall involves seats that were built between 2011 and 2014, including select Momentum, Chase, Maestro, Symphony, Titan 65, SureRide, SecureKid, Snugli All-in-One, and Snugli Booster models. The affected convertible car seats and harnessed boosters can continue to be used to transport children safely if the buckles are functioning normally and do not demonstrate unlatching issues. Evenflo has received no reports of injuries to children in connection with these buckles.

Evenflo is taking this action to address an issue that was recently observed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) in connection with Graco Children’s Products, Inc., which initiated a recall in early February 2014 for the same buckle issue.

As previously mentioned Evenflo uses the same manufacturer for their buckles as Graco and was included in NHTSA’s investigation when they were made aware of the issues consumers where having with their seats.

The company is sending a consumer notice to registered owners of the affected seats to inform them of the action and is working with retailers to ensure that impacted convertible car seats and harnessed boosters are no longer available for sale.

Evenflo will also make available a free remedy kit to consumers that includes a replacement buckle and instructions for installing the new buckle. Owners should visit www.buckle.evenflo.com or call 1-800-490-7591 to identify if their seat is affected and to order the remedy kit.

The company wants parents and caregivers to know that this recall does not affect the integrity of the seat. The convertible car seats and harnessed boosters affected by this recall are entirely crashworthy, so they may be used while consumers wait for replacement buckles. Individuals experiencing difficulty unlatching affected buckles before their remedy kit arrives should clean buckles to allow them to function properly. Instructions for cleaning can be found at the dedicated website listed above.

Affected convertible car seats and harnessed boosters include only the following model number prefixes: 306, 308, 310, 329, 345, 346, 371 and 385, and fall within the dates of manufacture listed below. The model number and date of manufacture can be found on a white label on the back of the seat.

“Safety is Evenflo’s number-one priority,” says Scott Weiss, Evenflo’s CEO. “With many of us being parents ourselves, we design, engineer and rigorously test our products with the goal of truly creating a safer more peaceful ride for both children and caregivers. Despite our best efforts, sometimes issues arise during everyday use, even after products have passed all federal safety tests. It is with an abundance of caution that we voluntarily recall these seats, and we are working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure parents are alerted.”

The company requests that U.S. consumers of affected seats contact Evenflo for a free remedy kit by visiting www.buckle.evenflo.com or calling 1-800-490-7591 between 8 am and 5 pm ET, Monday through Friday. Consumers are urged not to return seats to retail stores.