S.C. Manufacturer Recalls 67,000 Car Seats for Safety Reasons

Some 67,000 child car seats manufactured by South Carolina-based Combi USA Inc., are being recalled because federal tests show the seats might separate from their bases in front-end collisions, the company said.

In a release Monday, the Combi USA said it will offer free retrofit kits to consumers who contact the company, but that it could take 6 to 8 weeks to get them.

“In the meantime, Combi recommends that consumers use the Combi Centre and Shuttle without the base until the retrofit kit is installed,” the recall notice said. “These seats are designed for and safe to use without the base.”

The firm said it has received no reports of injuries to date regarding the Centre, Centre ARB and Shuttle Infant Restraints. It did not say what prompted the federal tests.

Combi said it was taking the action voluntarily “to ensure the public’s trust in our products.”

In a letter to consumers, the firm says the recall involves its Centre, Centre ARB and Shuttle seats (Model Nos. 8065, 8074, 8086, 8087 and 8520), as well as the travel systems containing the Centre and Shuttle seats (Model Nos. 4400, 4515 and 4520). The recall covers seats produced between October 2005 and December 2007.

No other models are affected by the recall, the firm said.

The model number and the date of manufacture can be found on a sticker located on the underside of the car seat.

Consumers are asked to contact the company to obtain a free retrofit kit on its Web site or by calling (800) 543-7734.

On the Net:

www.combi-intl.com