Nuna Baby Essentials Recalls 600,000 Child Car Seats Over Loosening Harnesses: NHTSA

Car seat harnesses may not close completely, leaving children at risk of injury during a crash.

Federal highway safety officials have announced a recall of more than 600,000 Nuna Baby Essentials, Inc. child car seats due to a risk of the harness failing to properly restrain the child safely in the seat.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Nuna Baby child car seat recall on December 18, warning that certain Rava child car seats with a plastic harness adjuster button may lack a fabric covering, potentially allowing debris to enter the adjuster mechanism.

Officials are warning that if debris enters the adjuster mechanism, it may prevent the teeth from gripping the adjuster strap securely. This can cause the harness to loosen, which may fail to properly restrain the child in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

The car seat recall impacts 608,786 Nuna Rava 9999 car seats with model numbers CS-50, CS05101, CS05103, CS05104, CS05105, CS05106, CS05107, CS05109, CS05110, CS05111, CS05114 and CS05115. The affected products were produced between July 16, 2016 and October 25, 2023.

To avoid the potential for injuries, Nuna Baby Essentials advises caregivers to always check the harness tightness when placing their child in a car seat.

While the company is unaware of any injuries or incidents related to the defect, there have been numerous complaints related to the harness loosening through the adjuster mechanism.

NHTSA initiated an investigation in May 2024, after receiving a defect petition. On October 24, 2024, NHTSA opened an evaluation into the car seat defects.

The manufacturer then decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall for all Rava child car seats manufactured in the designated time frame.

Nuna plans to provide consumers with a free remedy kit, which includes a new seat pad, instructions for properly cleaning the harness adjuster area and installing the new seat pad, a screwdriver to remove and replace the plastic cover over the harness adjuster, and a plastic brush to clean the teeth of the harness adjuster and remove any debris.

The new seat pad is designed to cover the plastic harness adjuster cover and help prevent debris from entering the mechanism.

For more information, owners may contact Nuna customer service at 1-855-686-2891 or via email at info.usa@nunababy.com. Nuna’s contact for this recall is Emily C. Smith, who may be reached by email at emily.c.smith@dot.gov.

Consumers may also contact the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.