NHTSA Announces Safety Recall of Cosco Child Seats
24 February 1998
NHTSA Announces Safety Recall of Cosco Child Seats
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) today announced a safety recall of Cosco child
restraint seats for failure to meet Federal safety standards.
The recall involves 7,863 Cosco Touriva Overhead Shield (Models 02-014-
EMF, 02-014-GDM, and 02-015-PLD) and Touriva 5-point (Models 02-514-BWE,
02-584-OXF, and 02-518-NDF) child restraint seats manufactured from
Aug. 9, 1997, through Aug. 22, 1997, that were made in mold number "3."
When these seats were tested dynamically to the requirements of Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraints," structural failure
occurred in the belt path area of the shell in the forward-facing, reclining
position only.
NHTSA Administrator Ricardo Martinez, M.D., advised parents not to use the
seats in the reclining position until the seats are repaired. He said the
seat is safe in all other positions and emphasized the importance of using
child safety seats.
"An unrestrained child is at a much greater risk of injury in a crash than
a child in a restraint system," Dr. Martinez said.
Cosco has developed a procedure under which owners can determine whether
their seat is covered by the recall. If the 6-digit manufacture date code on
the left side of the seat is between Aug. 9 and Aug. 22, 1997, the owner
should look for the mold number (1, 2, or 3) near the top of the back of the
seat shell. (Owners may need to remove the locking clip to see the number.)
If the mold number is "3," the owner should call Cosco at 800-221-6736 to
obtain a free repair kit and installation instructions.
For more information, owners should call Cosco toll free at 800-221-6736
or write to the Cosco Company, P.O. Box 2609, Columbus, Ind., 47202-2609.
Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign
should call NHTSA's toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 800-424-9393. Consumers
in the Washington, D.C., area should call 202-366-0123.
SOURCE U.S. Department of Transportation
