Skip to content

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

U.S. CPSCFallsDec 20, 1999
Two Kolcraft Carriers
Two Kolcraft Carriers

Photos from the official notice: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission · image rights

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.

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.

Product 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.

Sold on

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.

Contact the company

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

What should I do?

Stop using the product and follow the remedy below. Contact the company for a refund, repair or replacement — recall remedies are free.

More from this brand

See all →

Recent alerts in this category

See all →