Nuna Baby Essentials has recalled more than 600,000 of its RAVA car seats because debris may prevent the harness from staying snug.
The recall affects RAVA models made from July 16, 2016, to Oct. 25, 2023, the company said. In those car seats, debris may get stuck where the front harness adjuster button is, impeding the mechanism from properly clamping on the strap.
‘A loose harness may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury in a crash,’ Nuna said on its website.
Nuna RAVA models manufactured after Oct. 25, 2023, are not included in the recall. Those models have a fabric covering over the harness adjusters, rather than plastic.
The affected car seats do not have to be disposed of or returned to stores. Instead, the company is offering customers a new seat pad, cleaning kit and care instructions to keep the harness adjuster clean.
The free remedy kit can be ordered on Nuna’s website, which includes instructions on how to check whether a car seat’s harness is functioning properly. If it is, customers can continue to use the seats ‘as directed,’ Nuna said.
Nuna, a high-end company that also makes strollers and other baby gear, described the voluntary recall as a “proactive step.” There have been no injuries or fatalities reported in connection with the issue, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said of the 608,786 recalled car seats.
Dr. Alisa Baer, a pediatrician and co-founder of The Car Seat Lady, an advocacy organization devoted to preventing injuries in cars, said snug car seat straps are crucial because they minimize how much infants and children move in the event of a crash.
‘The looser the child is in the straps, the longer it takes to stop,’ she said. ‘You do not want to make contact with anything except your seat belt or car seat straps in a crash.’
Baer said that sand, dirt or crumbs can get caught in any car seat’s harness adjuster, not just the Nuna’s. When that happens, children can accidentally loosen the car seat straps if they lean forward because the locking mechanism might not work, she said.
“Children are not known for their neatness,” Baer said. “The gripper teeth just don’t grip as well on a slick surface.”
She advised parents to use a dry brush or toothbrush to clean all car seat straps of debris, and she suggested checking to make sure the straps stay in place when buckled in.
‘You should notice no give in the straps. They shouldn’t budge,’ she said.
Model numbers of the Nuna car seats can be found on the label on the underside of the seat. The recalled model numbers are:
