Britax Car Seat Recall 2012: Company Recalls Nearly 60K Harness Pads Due To Choking Hazard

Children’s car seat and stroller manufacturer Britax Child Safety is recalling 55,455 child restraints after reports surfaced that children have bitten off and gagged on pieces of the chest pads.

According to a report the company filed recently with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the seats, which were manufactured between June 2012 and August 2012, have “an enhanced harness system” chest pad that uses a softer “nontoxic material to provide increased safety and comfort.”

“If the child bites off a piece of the material, it may pose a choking hazard that results in injury or death,” the recall notice states.

To address the issue, Britax is providing consumers with a kit containing more durable replacement pads that can be installed on the harness straps.

“If the consumer has concerns that his or her child may bite the Hugs pad, the Hugs pads can be safely removed from the child seat until a replacement pad is received,” Britax Child Safety said. “Consumers can continue to use the child seat without Hugs pads until the replacement pads have been installed.”

The recalled model numbers — located on a tag on the upper right-hand side of the seat — are below:

USA: E9LJ91A, E9LJ91M, E9LJ91S, E9LJ92E, E9LJ93P, E9LJ93S, E9LK91A, E9LK31A, E9LK31Q, E9LK32D, E9LK32Z, E9LK33Q, E9LL11A, E9LL11Q, E9LL12D, E9LL12Z, E9LG81A, E9LG83N, E9LG83P, E9LG83X, E9LG83Y, E9LL21A, E9LL23P, E9LL23Y

Canada: E9LK11A, E9LK11M, E9LK11S, E9LK13P, E9LK13S, E9LK41A, E9LK41Q, E9LK42D, E9LK42Z, E9LK43Q E9LG91A, E9LG93N, E9LG93P, E9LG93X, E9LG93Y

For more information, contact Britax Child Safety, Inc., at (888) 427-4829 or at www.britaxusa.com/support/safety-notices.

WTVM9 News also has more on the 2012 Britax car seat recall in the video below: