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Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. To Conduct a Safety Recall for Designer 22 Rear-Facing Infant Child Safety Seats

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that the Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (DJG) will conduct a safety recall campaign involving about 190,000 Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st, and Cosco brand rear-facing infant child safety seats.

Dorel has received complaints that the harness on the recalled child safety seats can loosen after the child has been buckled in, and in the event of a crash the child may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

The models involved in the recall are:

* Eddie Bauer: 22-625 AFD GB1B, 22-625 GLC GB1B, 22-625 EDG GB1B, and 22-625 MAC GB1B
* Safety 1st: 22-325 CMB GB1B, 22-325 VIN GB1B, 22-325 DTA GB1B, and 22-325 TST GB1B
* Cosco 22-300 JOS GB1B

Only those seats manufactured between August 19, 2003, and October 20, 2004, are affected.

Dorel will mail a free repair kit consisting of two harness clips along with installation instructions to owners who return their registration cards. Owners who have not registered their product should contact Dorel’s toll-free number (800-881-0570) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT or contact the company by fax (800-207-8182). They may also e-mail Dorel at designerrecall@djgusa.com.

NHTSA encourages parents to obtain and install the repair kit as soon as possible, so that the child seat provides maximum protection for the child. In the meantime, parents are advised to make sure that the seat is properly adjusted while in use. Parents should continue to use the existing seat while waiting to receive and install the repair kit because the seat still provides better protection than an adult seat belt or no restraint.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSA’s toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or check NHTSA’s website, www.safercar.gov.