The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today that Combi USA, Inc. will conduct a safety recall for its "Avatar Model 8100" child safety seats.  The recall involves the entire production of this model from November 2003 through May 2004.

As part of a new system for child seat installation, newly manufactured child safety seats must include attachments that fasten to permanent anchors in a vehicle’s back seat, located where the cushions meet.  This system is known as "LATCH" (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children).  In the case of the Avatar seats being recalled, the lower attachment straps fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 for child restraint systems.  If the child seat is attached using the LATCH system and a crash occurs, the attachment straps could detach from the vehicle’s lower anchors—possibly resulting in a serious or even fatal injury to the child.

Registered owners of these child safety seats will automatically receive a repair kit along with repair instructions in the mail.  Those not registered need to request the kit from the manufacturer.  Until the latch belt assembly is replaced, Combi USA advises owners to use the seat only with the vehicle’s safety belts and not with the LATCH system.

Owners who do not receive the free kit within a reasonable time should contact Combi USA toll free at 800-992-6624 or visit Combi’s website at http://www.combi-intl.com.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSA’s toll free Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or check NHTSA’s website at www.safercar.gov.