Graco Conducts Recall of Harness Buckles on Certain Infant Car Seats

ATLANTA, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Graco is recalling harness buckles used on approximately 1.9 million infant car seats manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013. Some consumers reported having difficulty or having been unable to open the buckle, which was the reason for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) investigation and the outcome announced today. As a solution, Graco will provide a free replacement buckle.

"As the industry leader in baby and parenting essentials, the decisions we make about product safety are far-reaching.  We take this responsibility seriously," said Laurel Hurd, President of Graco Children's Products. "Both NHTSA and Graco investigated consumer concerns in an effort to address the issues with the buckles used on certain infant car seats. We are pleased to announce a solution that we believe is in the best interest of consumers and underscores our shared commitment to child passenger safety."

Although there have been no reported injuries associated with this issue, Graco encourages consumers to order a buckle replacement kit and install the new buckle as soon as it arrives.  While waiting for replacement kits, parents and caregivers should always continue to use an appropriate car seat. If no alternative is available, the affected car seats may be safely used until replacement buckles are available. Consumers can verify if their infant car seat is affected by this recall and order a replacement kit by entering the model name and date of manufacture on GracoBuckleRecall.com or calling (877) 766-7470. This information can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier. Graco will provide a free replacement buckle to any consumer who has an infant car seat not included in this recall, but would like to update their buckle to Graco's current buckle design.

"Child seats are very effective at protecting children in crashes, and Graco is one of the industry leaders," said Chris Sherwood, biomechanics engineer and former senior research engineer at Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Graco has an experienced safety team, state-of-the-art research and development facilities, and internal safety standards that exceed federal requirements. Parents and caregivers should feel confident in choosing Graco car seats."

For more information, consumers can visit our website at GracoBuckleRecall.com or contact our customer service team at (877) 766-7470 or consumerservices@gracobaby.com.

ABOUT GRACO CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS
Graco, part of Newell Rubbermaid's global portfolio of leading brands, is an innovator of baby and children's products that provides solutions to help parents make smart choices while taking care of their little ones. For 60 years, Graco has built trusted, quality and helpful products including car seats, strollers, travel systems, swings, highchairs, playards and nursery care essentials.

SOURCE Graco