Voluntary Recall Issued on 67,000 Child-safety Seats

March 4, 2008 Ginger Gillenwater

Fort Mill, SC - A Fort Mill, South Carolina company that manufactures child-safety seats has issued a voluntary safety recall of the Centre ARB, the Centre, and the shuttle Rear Facing Infant Restraints. The Combi USA, Inc. safety recall stems from the failure of these safety seats in collision tests, which could result in severe injury or death of children strapped inside of these seats if a motor vehicle accident were to occur.

The safety issues were determined by Transport Canada, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Combi USA through numerous in-vehicle laboratory tests that analyzed the overall effectiveness of the car seats and found that the car seat's restraints have the potential to separate from their base in frontal crashes. In some tests, car seats that were manufactured by Combi USA exceeded the requirements of the US standard. As for the recalled seats, so far there have been no injury reports regarding the Shuttle, Centre, and Centre ARB.

Which Car Seat Models Were Voluntarily Recalled?

The models involved in the recall are Combi USA Inc's Shuttle, Centre, and Centre ARB models 8520, 8087, 8086, 8074, and 8065. The recall also includes associated Travel Systems containing the Shuttle and Centre models 4520, 4515, and 4400. These car seats are car seats for infants with adjustable handles and harness-height-adjustment systems. No other models manufactured by Combi USA Inc. are affected by the recall.
Combi wants to make sure that the trust in their product is not compromised. That is why they issued the voluntary recall before any accidents could occur as a result of the defective product. In their recall notice, Combi has stated that their car seats consistently meet government safety standards, but that this one time is an exception.
The car seats were manufactured between October 19, 2005 and December 15, 2007 and were purchased at baby supply stores and Amazon.com. All registered owners of the products should receive a letter explaining to them how to acquire the free retrofit kit. However, for those who did not register the product when it was purchased, they are encouraged to contact Combi USA Inc. to find out how to acquire their free retrofit kit. Combi USA can be contacted by going to www.combi-intl.com or calling 1-800-543-7734 to speak with their Consumer Relations Department about acquiring the kit. The kit will fix the safety issues with the seat and will allow the owner to safely utilize it for their children. However, it will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to receive the kit.

Unregistered or Hand Me Down Car Seats
If any of those who purchased the car seats passed them onto a friend, family member, or neighbor, it is important that the recall information be shared with them so that they can receive the retrofit kit to fix the safety issue. If those who have purchased the seats did not register the product, the product can be registered via the Consumer Relations Department or by visiting the website.
In the meantime, Combi USA Inc. suggests that those using the Centre and Shuttle models should detach the base until they receive their retrofit kit. When the seat was manufactured, they were designed to be used with or without the base. By detaching the base, the seat can be secured and protect the child in the case of a collision. However, many parents may find it necessary to use the base for various reasons, so it is advised to contact Combi USA Inc. to acquire the free retrofit kit. If consumers have any questions regarding how to install the seat without the base, they may refer to their owner's manuals or call the Customer Relations Department for instructions on how to install the seat.

Contact a Defective Product Lawyer

When you need a lawyer who will exhaustively investigate your case and make sure that every responsible party is held accountable, contact The Killino Firm, where Keeping America Safe is our primary goal. To speak to one of our attorneys, please call us toll free at 800-815-2603, or contact a Philadelphia personal injury attorney via email. We will respond promptly to your inquiry so that you can experience The Killino Firm Difference.

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