NHTSA Announces Safety Recall of Evenflo Child Seats

Oct. 9, 1997

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Contact: Tim Hurd
202-366-9550

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 1997 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a safety recall of Evenflo child booster seats for failure to meet federal safety standards.

The recall involves 35,856 Evenflo Sidekick booster child seats with model numbers beginning with 244 and manufactured between April 23, 1996, and May 20, 1997. Evenflo child seats with other model numbers are not affected by this recall, NHTSA said.

The Evenflo Sidekick booster seats, when crash tested with a dummy, allowed head injury criteria higher than permitted by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraints."

The booster seat fails to comply with the safety standard only when it is used with its shield. Use of the shield is necessary when the seat is used in a seat belt system which consists of a lap belt only.

Evenflo is advising owners to use the Sidekick only without the shield, and only in vehicle seats equipped with a seat belt system that has both a lap belt and a shoulder belt. The seat should not be used in vehicles or in seating positions that are not equipped with a shoulder belt, such as the rear center seat.

"Children, including small children in child restraints, always should ride in rear seats," said NHTSA Administrator Ricardo Martinez, M.D. "Owners of these booster seats who have no alternative to using them in a seating position with a lap belt should obtain a different seat immediately."

Evenflo is compensating owners for the loss of the use of these booster seats. Consumers who can continue to use the booster seat without the shield will receive a partial refund. Evenflo will provide a full refund to consumers who use the booster seat in a seating position equipped with lap belts only, since they must discontinue use of this seat.

For more information, owners may call Evenflo toll free at 800-233-5921 or write to the Evenflo Company, Inc., 1801 Commerce Drive, Piqua, Ohio 45356.

Consumers with questions about this or any other safety recall campaign should call NHTSA's toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 800-424-9393. The number to call in the Washington, D.C., area is 202-366-0123.