|
|
Harness Buckle Recall - 2014 Announcement
|
|
FAQs
|
General Questions:
- Q: What infant and toddler car seats are eligible to receive the replacement
harness buckle?
- Toddler car seats: Step 2, Cozy Cline, Ready Ride, Comfort Sport,
Classic Ride 50, My Ride 65, My Ride 70, My Ride 65 with Safety Surround, Size4Me
70, My Size 70, Head Wise 70 with Safety Surround, Smart Seat, Smart Seat with Safety
Surround, Nautilus 3-in-1, Nautilus Plus, Nautilus Elite, Argos 70 and Argos 70
Elite
- Infant car seats: SnugRide, SnugRide Classic Connect, SnugRide
30, SnugRide Classic Connect 30, SnugRide 35, SnugRide Classic Connect 35, SnugRide
Click Connect 40, and Aprica A30
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 continue to offer 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.
- Q: Is my car seat safe?
Yes, your car seat is safe and you can continue to use it until you receive
your replacement harness buckle. This recall does not involve the entire car seat
– just a single model of harness buckle, one that if kids spilled food or
juice on them, may become difficult to open. If you find that your buckle is sticky,
we recommend cleaning it by following the instructions and video available on GracoBuckleRecall.com.
This will definitely make your buckle easier to use.
- Q: Why is Graco not recalling all infant car seats?
The infant car seats affected by this recall used an older version of a buckle
that some consumers found difficult to open. The infant car seats that are not included
in this recall are already equipped with a new and improved harness buckle that
is mechanically re-designed to make it easier to use. However, Graco will continue
to offer 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.
- Q: Why didn’t Graco recall the infant car seats at the same time
of the toddler seat recall? What’s happened during the past few months?
As the industry leader, our decisions about product safety have a far-reaching
impact and we take this responsibility seriously. Therefore, making the decision
to issue a recall without proper investigation would’ve been premature. As
such, we met with NHTSA several times and provided them with the necessary data
to evaluate this issue. Additionally, we assembled a team of recognized experts
to review our testing protocol and car seat engineering practices. These included
Chris Sherwood, former Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) leadership
and biomechanics researcher; Arthur W. Hoffmann, Ed.D., registered professional
engineer of child passenger restraints and automotive safety expert; and, Alison
Jacobson, child safety expert. They concluded that our car seats are meticulously
engineered and safe.
After thorough analysis, we collectively reached a final agreement with NHTSA that
is in the best interest of our consumers and underscores our shared commitment to
child passenger safety.
- Q: Can I receive a new harness buckle for my infant car seat even though
it is not a part of the recall?
If any parent – whether you have an old or a new buckle – is concerned,
Graco will gladly send you a replacement buckle at no cost. This is the case whether
or not your buckle is part of the recall. Consumers can place their order online
at GracoBuckleRecall.com. You will need your car seat model name and date of manufacture,
which can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat
carrier.
- Q: I just bought a new Graco toddler car seat and the date
of manufacture falls within the date range of the recent recall. Is my car seat
affected by the harness buckle recall?
It is possible that some toddler car seats currently available at retailers will
have a date of manufacture that falls within the date range of the recall. However,
toddler car seats available at retailers all have the new and improved harness buckle
regardless of the manufacture date. To make it easier for you to recognize these
toddler car seats, we have placed a white sticker at the bottom of every car seat
that lets consumers know that the buckle on the car seat is a new and improved model
that has not been recalled. Here is what the sticker looks like:
Additionally, we have placed the following “new and improved buckle”
sticker on the outside of the box so you can be assured the car seat inside is equipped
with a new and improved buckle.
For additional questions, call Graco's customer service team at
1-800-345-4109 or through our
Contact Us page.
Harness Buckle Replacement Questions:
- Q: How can I order a new harness buckle?
Graco has and will continue to offer replacement harness buckles to all concerned
consumers at no cost. Consumers can place their order online at GracoBuckleRecall.com.
You will need your car seat model name and date of manufacture, which can be found
on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier.
- Q: I have more than one Graco car seat, can I order more
than one harness buckle?
Yes, the online order form will allow you to order a replacement buckle for each
of your Graco car seats.
- Q: When will I receive my replacement buckle?
We are doing everything we can to make sure our consumers receive their replacement
kits as quickly as possible. Those requesting replacement buckles will receive them
within a couple of weeks. Our infant car seats, like the toddler seats, are safe
to use while waiting for a replacement buckle. If you find that your buckle is sticky,
we recommend cleaning it by following the instructions and video available on GracoBuckleRecall.com.
This will definitely make your buckle easier to use.
- Q: What should I do while waiting for my new harness buckle?
Infant car seats, like the toddler seats, are safe to use while waiting for a replacement
buckle. If you find that your buckle is sticky, we recommend cleaning it by following
the instructions and video available on GracoBuckleRecall.com. This will definitely
help make it easier to use.
- Q: How do I install the replacement harness buckle?
Our Graco customer service team will include detailed instructions about installing
your replacement buckle and you can also find helpful videos at GracoBuckleRecall.com.
In most of our car seats, the process of replacing your harness buckle is the same
as adjusting your harness straps and crotch strap position to accommodate a growing
child or removing your cloth car seat cover to clean it.
- Q: What is the difference between the old and new harness
buckle?
As early as January 2013, Graco began equipping our infant car seats with a new
and improved buckle. While some of the buckles look the same, the updated buckle
has an improved design to make it easier to use and has been rigorously tested.
This recall impacts only the older model of this buckle, used in car seats manufactured
prior to May, 2013. The updated buckle (car seats manufactured after May 2013)
is not being recalled, as it provides significantly improved usability and performance
which are unique to infant car seats:
- While it looks the same on the outside, two thirds of the internal mechanism has
been updated, making it easier to use on infant seats.
- The updated buckle is easier for parents to tilt and release the tongues from the
buckle due to the reclined position of the infant seat and the improved ergonomic
design of the buckle’s button.
- The size and shape of the buckle is more appropriate for infant seats and smaller
occupants, including where the buckle rests on the child and the pressure exerted
on the buckle when it is being used by a parent.
- The redesign and the location of the buckle in relation to the child’s hands
and mouth on infant seats reduces the likelihood of the buckle becoming sticky from
food and juice, which can make it difficult to open and close.
- The improved design reduces the friction in the internal components, which reduces
the likelihood of it becoming sticky if kids spill food and drink on it.
Graco will continue to offer 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.
Other Questions:
- Q: I have a Graco car seat but did not purchase it in the
U.S. Is my car seat affected by the recall?
No. The recall only impacts the harness buckles on select Graco infant car seats
sold in the U.S.
- Q: Does this change my warranty?
No, your warranty will not be affected by this recall. Graco has created detailed
instructions and a video to help consumers replace the harness buckle on their car
seats. In most car seats, the process of replacing your harness buckle is similar
to adjusting your harness straps and crotch strap position to accommodate a growing
child or removing your cloth car seat cover to clean it.
- Q: Can I return my Graco car seat?
This recall only affects the harness buckle on select infant car seats – not
the entire car seat. As such, we will continue to offer replacement harness buckles
to any concerned consumer at no cost but are not replacing entire car seat units.
Infant car seats, like the toddler seats, are safe to use while waiting for a replacement
buckle.
- Q: How do I speak to Graco's customer service team?
If you have questions, you can call Graco's customer service team at 877-766-7470
(Monday - Friday, 9 am to 5 pm) or email us through our
Contact Us page. Graco knows you have questions and we have an expanded
customer service team dedicated to taking your calls. Please also consider the online
form at GracoBuckleRecall.com to order your replacement harness buckle - it's easy
to use and only takes a minute to complete.
- Q: Have there been any injuries as a result of the harness
buckles?
No. Aside from reports of buckles that sometimes become difficult to open, there
have been no reported injuries or fatalities related to the safe use of the car
seats.
- Q: What is Graco’s commitment to safety?
Graco has met or exceeded every safety standard set forth by the federal government
through its 60-year commitment to rigorous engineering and demanding crash testing
protocols. Each Graco car seat must withstand a critical crash test -- hundreds
of times -- simulating a vehicle hitting a brick wall at 35 mph, which is
double the force required by the government. Graco has conducted side impact
testing on our car seats for nearly a decade before NHTSA proposed such a standard.
Graco is also the only manufacturer to crash test our car seats under extreme temperatures
– from 0 to 140 degrees F -- to ensure the materials maintain their integrity
in even the most demanding conditions. Importantly, Graco car seats undergo
an additional battery of tests by independent safety experts at the same lab contracted
by NHTSA to set the safety standards for the entire industry.
In designing each element of the car seat, the primary focus of our engineers is
infant and toddler safety. The harness buckle -- a critical part of the car seat
-- is opened and closed more than 15,000 times, the equivalent of 50 years of use,
to ensure it meets our industry-leading safety qualifications. We also pull
the harness buckles to withstand a force of over one ton, which is three times more
than what is applied during a typical high-speed crash test. While there continues
to be no reported injuries or fatalities related to our harness buckles, we have
continued to upgrade buckle design as part of our ongoing product evaluation and
improvement process.
We assembled a team of independent experts to review our testing protocol and car
seat engineering practices to provide an objective perspective. These individuals
included: Chris Sherwood, former Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) leadership
and biomechanics researcher; Arthur W. Hoffmann, Ed.D., registered professional
engineer of child passenger restraints and automotive safety expert; and, Alison
Jacobson, child safety expert. All of these experts concluded independently and
collectively that our car seats are meticulously engineered and safe.
|
|
|
