More than 20,000 Cybex child car seats have been voluntarily recalled due to a loose foam padding that kids could easily pick on and become a choking hazard.
In an official statement from Cybex, the company said that its U.S. version of the Sirona M convertible car seat has a small opening on the headrest cover that children could access. The headrest has tiny pieces of foam that children may ingest.
The company said that while the foam is non-toxic, spherical, and without sharp edges, it could still be a choking hazard for small children. The company also assured consumers, especially the parents, that there have been no reported injuries or choking accidents from the Cybex child car seat users. Consequently, the product still meets "all requirements for crashworthiness" if used in the safe transport of the kids.
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Affected Cybex Child Car Seat for Recall
Nonetheless, Cybex said parents should ask for a free improvement kit if they have a Sirona M convertible car seat with model numbers 518000385, 518000387, 518002153, 518002145, 518002151, 518002149, and 519000211. These were manufactured between November 2017 to September 2018. As far as the company knows, there are no more products with these specific models on the market.
Parents who registered their car seat purchases will receive consumer notice about the product recall and the improvement kit. This kit has a "manufacturer-approved adhesive tape" and instructions on its proper use.
Consumers who have not been contacted by Cybex may call 1-877-242-5676 during work hours to request the kit, per ABC News. Cybex said that there is no need to return the product to the stores.
In the U.S., Cybex is under Columbus Trading-Partners USA, a company based in Ohio. Its headquarters are in Germany and China. The company has a 25-year track record of designing, developing, and manufacturing award-winning child car seats, carriers, and strollers.
Learning Car Seat Basics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was the first to post the product recall to inform consumers of the choking hazard.
In 2018, the agency conducted a study that showed more than 500 kids per day had been injured due to improper use or installation of car seats; thus, this product has become one of the leading causes of safety issues impacting children.
While car seat use is mandatory in the U.S., not all parents or caregivers are aware of the most common issues that may bring harm or that car seats should be replaced as the baby grows and enters different stages of development.
However, parents or caregivers may take a free online course endorsed by the National Child Passenger Safety Board on Car Seat Basics. The safety board also runs a car seat inspection program across offices of the American Automobile Association, Inc. in the country.
Car seat products might have evolved over the years, but they will not work well if the parents are not using these seats correctly.
