TP 14566 - Consumer Information Notice
Child Restraint Systems
2009-C02 E
August 5, 2009
Road Safety
Information: 1-877-505-2223
Manufacturer:
Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.
2525 State Street
Columbus, IN 47201
U.S.A.
Web site: www.djgusa.com
Importer and Distributor:
Dorel Distribution Canada
873 Hodge
St-Laurent, QC H4N 2B1
Consumer Contact:
1-866-556-0029
Media Contact:
Rick Leckner 1-514-731-0000
Models Affected:
Designer 22 infant restraint systems with adjustable base under brand names of Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st and Quinny
Dates of Manufacture:
January 1, 2001 to March 19, 2009
Number of Units:
259,529
Geographic Distribution:
Across Canada
Issue:
The Designer 22 is a rear-facing infant car seat. It is designed to be used in a vehicle with or without a detachable base. Although the seat meets the mandatory safety standards, research testing that went beyond the existing standards has shown that, when used with the base, the seat may separate from the base or the base may crack during a severe frontal collision. Separation of the seat from the base occurred only when using the vehicle's three point seat belt assembly.
Background and Company Action:
During Transport Canada in-vehicle crash tests, some Designer 22 infant seats separated from the base and some bases cracked. Further testing and analyses using an acceleration sled to replicate the crash forces seen in the earlier vehicle tests had the same result. These in-vehicle crash tests exceeded the existing performance requirements of the safety standards, and are not mandated in any jurisdiction worldwide.
Additional independent compliance surveillance and certification assurance testing done by both Transport Canada and the importer, Dorel Distribution Canada, respectively, confirm that these infant seats comply with the applicable Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 213.1, with no evidence of seat-from-base separation. A further review of prior Transport Canada compliance surveillance test records and the manufacturer's own certification test records for both the Canadian and U.S. market seats also show no indication of seat-from-base separation.
Over two million units of the Canadian and U.S. models of the Designer 22 have been sold - nearly 260,000 in Canada. Transport Canada, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the manufacturer and the importer are not aware of any injuries and no confirmed in-use occurrences have been reported involving seat-from-base separation.
During the review period, the importer has been mainly cooperative with Transport Canada and has provided all requested documentation. Although Dorel does not consider the Designer 22 to be defective in any way, it is undertaking voluntary action to introduce a number of production changes to the infant seat to improve its performance in more severe collisions than is currently required in the safety standards.
Transport Minister John Baird has instructed officials to fully review the current safety standards for protecting children in car seats during a crash. Further actions will be explored and all necessary steps taken to keep children as safe as possible.
Consumer Recourse:
To avoid the possibility of a seat-from-base separation, Transport Canada highly recommends that the users of the seat follow the manufacturer's "without base" method of installing the infant seat in the vehicle using the vehicle seat belt, according to the manufacturer's instructions. As always, particular attention should be paid to the manufacturer's instructions regarding the leveling of the infant seat in the vehicle, and the recommended useful life of the product.
We remind Canadians that the proper use of a child car restraint is vitally important to keep children safe in case of a collision. Please call 1-877-505-2223 for information on car seat clinics.
Consumers who may be missing their instruction manual may call Dorel Distribution Canada's helpline at 1-866-556-0029 to request a replacement copy.
You can report any concerns with children's car seats to Transport Canada at the following address: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/Index.aspx.
Transport Canada: 1-877-505-2223
Release Date: August 5, 2009