Graco is recalling not the whole car seat, but part of their Snugride and Aprica model car seats made between July 2010 and May 2013 (check here for specific model and manufacture date information). Apparently, the buckle on these car seats can be faulty. But not in the way you’d expect. The buckles have been getting stuck, so stuck that some parents have to cut the harness to get their kids out. Now, clearly this is a safety issue in an emergency. But, in terms of everyday practical use, these buckles are still technically safe, so much so that Graco says “While waiting for replacement buckles, Graco car seats equipped with affected buckles are safe to use.” So, I guess, in the mean time, just keep a pair of really good scissors in your glove box? This just fuels the fire of my Rachael Getting Married scenario that haunts my imagination. Stupid movies voices our worst fears. Stupid car seat recalls confirming the possibility for those fears to be realized.
This is not the first time this has happened to Graco. They also were forced to recall the buckles on their toddler seats, “2006 through 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, and Smart Seat with Safety Surround.”
So, if you have a Graco seat, double check it to see if it’s been recalled, “You can determine whether or not the buckle on your Graco infant car seat is recalled by entering the model name and date of manufacture on GracoBuckleRecall.com. This information can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier.”
Man, I can’t wait for the car seat phase to be over, just five more years. Sigh.