The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·02009·Announced 2001-10-10

Safety 1st Recalls 1.5 Million Fold-Up Booster Seats Due to Injury Risk

Safety 1st is recalling 1.5 million fold-up booster seats because the seat inserts can separate, causing children to fall and be injured.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural defect in a child safety product that resulted in reported injuries, including a fractured arm, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating (significant injury reports).

Plain-English summary

Safety 1st is recalling approximately 1.5 million fold-up booster seats, specifically model numbers 173, 173A, and 173B. The recall was initiated because the top half of the seat inserts can separate from the bottom half. This defect allows a child to fall from the chair, resulting in potential injury.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Safety 1st have received 32 reports of the seat halves separating. Seven of these reports involved injuries from falls, including bumps, cuts, bruises, and one fractured arm. The affected seats are made of blue plastic with green and red arms and include a yellow feeding tray. The seat insert consists of two press-fitted halves with a smooth surface bottom and no indentations. Model numbers 173C and 173D, which have four indentations on the bottom, are not included in this recall.

These seats were sold at major toy, hardware, and department stores nationwide from January 1994 through August 1999 for about $18. Consumers should stop using these seats immediately and contact Safety 1st at (888) 579-1730 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit www.safety1st.com to receive a free repair kit with instructions.

The recalled product

Product
Fold-Up Booster Seats
Category
Consumer Product — Child Safety Seats
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · structural failure

See all →