Chicco recalls 18,000 infant safety seats
Chicco is recalling 18,000 bases used in three of its popular rear-facing, infant safety seats. A defect in some of the bases can prevent them from being tightly secured to a vehicle when the LATCH attachments are used for installation. The recall affects KeyFit and KeyFit 30 child restraint systems and Cortina Travel Systems manufactured between February 26, 2008 and March 17, 2008.
In a recall notice posted on its site, Chicco explains the problem this way: "Specifically, when a defective base is installed with the lower LATCH attachment straps, the webbing used to tighten the base to the vehicle seat can slip through the adjustment lock. If the webbing were to slip during a vehicle crash, the base could move, possibly increasing the risk of injury."
Owners of the car seat can still use it safely if they attach it to the vehicle using the car's safety belts instead of the lower LATCH attachments. A video on Chicco's site shows how to do this.
To determine whether you have one of the defective bases, check the serial number (see photo) on a label attached to the under side of the base. If the serial number is between 08 02 26 (corresponding to February 26, 2008) and 08 03 17 (corresponding to March 17, 2008), your base is covered by this recall.
Chicco is contacting owners who have sent in their registration cards and has established a replacement policy for owners who have not:
- Call 1-800-807-8817 to report the defective base.
- Chicco will send a pre-paid envelope to you.
- Cut the grey webbing that attaches the two black lower LATCH connectors to ensure that the seat is unusable with the LATCH attachments.
- Send the two LATCH connectors and your name, mailing address, and phone number in the pre-paid envelope to:
Chicco USA
Att: KeyFit Recall
1835 Freedom Road
Lancaster, PA 17601
Chicco will send a replacement base within two weeks of getting the lower LATCH connectors.
Posted by: Kristi | Sep 2, 2008 2:10:29 PM
Can someone tell me what we are supposed to do in the two weeks it will take the replacement base to get to us. Not drive anywhere with our child???
Posted by: Breann | Jul 11, 2008 8:35:22 PM
How were all of you notified of this recall? I have had this seat for two months now and just found out today through my own research I decided to do to find out why Babies R Us is not selling the bases any longer. A sales person there actually told me that the recall was just "to be on the safe side" and that the bases were found to be fine and were not recalled from the owners, just the stores. Obviously, I went to the Chicco website and found this to be false. My baby is due in the next three weeks!! I mailed the recall card to Chicco right away when I opened the box of the car seat, so I know they have my information. Thanks for your help!
Posted by: Jen | Jun 23, 2008 2:58:56 PM
I was in BRU today (in Schaumburg, IL) and lo and behold, the travel system was back on the shelves! Steve, the stroller guru, assured me that these are new ones that were released once the "problem" had been fixed. There were onloy 4 on the shelves, so I'm not sure how many each BRU will be getting ... the car seat base on it's own isn't in yet though ...
Posted by: Charlie | Jun 12, 2008 10:45:44 PM
My wife and I were at Burlington Coat Factory and they still had this item on the shelf. Because this store is some what of an overstock carrier, its inventory may have been fabricated before the 2/26/08 time frame. Good Luck...
Posted by: Amye | Jun 11, 2008 10:17:06 AM
I called Chicco last week and they said the seats should be back on shelves in two weeks. However, I called BRU and they said it would take longer! We have a baby coming in 4 weeks and we already have the stroller. I love this seat, I don't want to have to go pick out a new one! It took me long enough to settle on this one....
I'm borrowing my best friends (safe) toddler seat to use just in case baby comes before car seat is available.
Good luck!
Posted by: Matt | Jun 9, 2008 4:14:06 PM
Does anyone know when they will be shipping new bases so we can buy at babies r' us?
We returned our travel system because of the recall, but they told us that we ccouldn't get a replacement until Chicco approves them to start selling again? We have a baby coming in 5 weeks!