Graco is facing class actions and lawsuits involving car seats with defective buckles that won’t un-latch in an emergency. The buckles get progressively stickier due to food or beverages. Lawyers says Graco should have known that car seats get dirty and the buckles are unsafe.
Need a Texas Graco Car Seat Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If your child or a loved one was injured by a recalled Graco Car Seat with a defective buckle, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.
UPDATE: Graco Recalls 25,000 Car Seats
In June 2017, Graco voluntarily recalled over 25,000 “My Ride 65” car seats sold in the summer of 2014 after the harness webbing broke in two crash-tests. Click here to read more.
Graco Fined $10 Million for Delaying Car Seat Recall
After delaying a recall of about 4 million car seats with defective buckles, federal safety officials have ordered Graco to pay at least $10 million in fines and steps to improve child safety. The fines followed a federal safety investigation into a 5-year delay in Graco’s recall of 6 million car seats with defective buckles that may get stuck and be impossible to open in an emergency. Click here to read more.
What is the Problem?
A defective buckle may make it impossible to remove a child from a car seat to avoid injury or death in a car accident, vehicle fire, submersion in water, or if the child is suffering a medical emergency. Food and dried liquids can make some harness buckles progressively more difficult to open over time or become stuck in the latched position.
Lawsuit Settled by Family of 2-Year-old Who Died in Graco Car Seat
Graco confidentially settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a 2 year-old girl who died in a car accident. The child’s mother stopped her vehicle on the side of the highway to fix a flat tire and was rear-ended by a 1999 GMC Yukon SUV. When the vehicles burst into flames, the child’s mother and bystanders were unable to remove her from a Graco Nautilus car seat. Graco denies that the Nautilus was responsible for the child’s death.
Graco Recalls 6 Million Car Seats for Buckles
July 1, 2014 — Graco has bent under pressure from federal safety authorities and will recall 1.9 million infant car seats with buckles that can get progressively stickier over time and may be impossible to open in an emergency. Click here to read more. Click here to read more.
Recalled Graco infant car seats include:
- SnugRide, SnugRide Classic Connect
- SnugRide 30, SnugRide Classic Connect 30
- SnugRide 35, SnugRide Classic Connect 35
- SnugRide Click Connect 40
- Aprica A30
Click here for a complete list of recalled car seats.
Graco Expands Car Seat Recall to Booster Seats
Graco is expanding a recall for nearly 3.8 million car seats because the buckles can get stuck, trapping children in the seats, and increasing the risk of injury or death in the even of a vehicle crash, fire, or other emergency. The recall covers 11 models that were sold from 2009 through 2013
Recalled Graco car seats include:
- Cozy Cline
- Comfort Sport
- Classic Ride 50
- Head Wise 70 with Safety Surround
- My Ride 65, 70
- My Ride 65 with Safety Surround
- My Size 70
- Ready Ride
- Size4Me 70
- Smart Seat
- Smart Seat with Safety Surround
- Toddler Convertible Car Seats
Harnessed booster seats:
- Nautilus 3-in-1
- Nautilus Elite
- Nautilus Plus
- Argos 70, Elite
Graco Recalls 3.8 Million Car Seats for Buckles
Graco car seat recall of 3.8 million child car seats was expanded to include 403,222 toddler and booster seats (model years 2006-2014), bringing the total to 4.2 million car seats. However, Graco is not complying with U.S. government safety officials who want another 1.8 million infant car seats recalled because they have the same buckle. Click here to read more.
Car seats added to the recall (model years 2006-2014):
- Argos 70 Elite
- Ready Ride
- Step 2
- My Ride 65 with Safety Surround
- My Size 70
- Head Wise 70 with Safety Surround
- Nautilus 3-in-1
- Nautilus Plus
- Smart Seat with Safety Surround
Graco Car Seat Class Action Lawsuit
Nationwide consumers who purchased a Graco car seat with a defective buckle may be able to join a Graco car seat class action lawsuit in California. According to the complaint, numerous people have reported that they had to struggle excessively to unlatch the buckle, cut the straps, maneuver their child out of the seat while the harness was still buckled, or stop using the car seat. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that reasonable consumers expect that a car seat will get dirty over time, and manufacturers were negligent for failing to design the buckle safely.
What Should I Do?
Graco is also offering new and improved harness buckles for free. Customers who have registered their car seat will receive a letter with instructions on how to order a repair kit. Customers who have not registered can call Graco customer service at 800-345-4109 (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or visit www.gracobaby.com.
How to clean the buckle:
Need a Graco Car Seat Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Graco car seat lawyers for a free lawsuit review.