Dear Valued Evenflo Consumer:
Evenflo designs, engineers and tests its products with safety as its number-one priority. When Evenflo believes that a recall is warranted, it voluntarily takes steps to do so.
Despite the small number of complaints alleging difficulty unlatching the harness crotch buckle on Evenflo's Embrace 35 infant child restraint and the fact that these car seats continue to meet or exceed all requirements for crashworthiness under the federal FMVSS 213 and CMVSS 213 safety standards, NHTSA has requested, and Evenflo has agreed, to recall select 2011-2013 Embrace 35 models listed below. Evenflo initiated a parallel campaign in Canada on October 28, 2014. None of the complaints Evenflo has received involved a child injury or an emergency exit from the vehicle. This buckle has not been used to manufacture the Embrace 35 since May 2013 in the United States and October 2013 in Canada.
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U.S. Model Numbers: 24502447, 24502446, 24502786, 24502787, 24502830, 24507546, 24507544, 24505003, 24505000, 24505001, 30711365, 31511040, 31511323, 31511400, 3151198, 3151953, 31521138, 46811205, 46811237, 48111200, 48111215, 48111215A, 48111218, 48111234, 48111235, 48111235A, 48111462, 48411391, 48411391D, 48411392, 48411504, 48411504D, 52911307A, 52921040, 55311138, 55311238, and 55311292 Canadian Model Numbers: 24502701, 24502459, 30711365C, 31511098C, 31511183C, 31511323C, 31511323CD, 46811205C, 47411419C, 47411419CD, 48111234C, 48111235C, 5291928C, 52921040C, 52921040CD, 55311238C Dates of Manufacture: Various from December 1, 2011-May 31, 2013 (for U.S. models), and August 1, 2011-October 31, 2013 (for Canadian models)*** |
***Not all Embrace 35 models in the list above and manufactured in the date ranges above are impacted. Consumers who believe they may own a car seat subject to this recall should input their model number and date of manufacture or call Evenflo toll-free at 1-800-490-7591, to determine if your child's Embrace 35 is included in the recall and to obtain a free remedy kit.
Select Embrace 35 models in the above date ranges used a harness crotch buckle which may become difficult to unlatch over time, due to exposure to various contaminants (like food and drinks). This condition may make it challenging to remove a child from car seat. There is no such risk if the buckle is functioning normally. Moreover, most consumers tend to remove their children from the vehicle while still restrained in the carrier portion of the Embrace 35 and to unbuckle the harness crotch buckle after going inside the home or other location. This typical usage mode of the Embrace 35 virtually eliminates the need to unbuckle the harness in a potential emergency exit from the vehicle. Because these car seats continue to meet or exceed all requirements for crashworthiness under the federal FMVSS 213 and CMVSS 213 safety standards, they can still be used to transport your child safely if you are not experiencing difficulty unlatching the buckle.
Evenflo is providing to consumers who own affected seats a remedy kit, free of charge, that includes a replacement buckle and instructions for the installing the new buckle. Please do not return your child's Embrace 35 to retailers.
If you are experiencing difficulty unlatching your buckle before your remedy kit arrives, cleaning the buckle should alleviate the difficulty. Instructions for cleaning your buckle can be found here.
We place great importance on your trust in us and we apologize for any inconvenience or concern this matter has caused for you and your family.
Evenflo is conducting this voluntary recall in coordination with the U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") and Transport Canada.
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