Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seat Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Dorel Juvenile Group recalled the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70, Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 and Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Max convertible car seats. The voluntary recall covers NHTSA campaigns 21C-003 and 21C-004. Dorel announced the recall on August 27, 2021. The recall affects about 87,000 Maxi-Cosi Pria seats combined. In forward-facing mode without the top tether, the seat may not adequately protect a child’s head in a crash. Owners should check their seat’s model number and date code, then keep using the top tether or the reduced weight and height limit. Dorel provides a free repair kit or booster. The recall remains open, with no completion announced.

Latest Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seats Recall Updates

September 1, 2026: Recall Still Listed as Active

A third-party recall tracker and the manufacturer’s own live Safety Notices page still list the Maxi-Cosi Pria recall as active. The tracker’s list is dated September 1, 2026 [1, 2]. Neither Dorel Juvenile Group nor NHTSA has announced that either campaign, 21C-003 or 21C-004, is complete or terminated. Owners with an affected seat can still ask the manufacturer for the repair kit or a replacement booster.

September 29, 2021: Dorel Mails Owner Notification Letter

Dorel dated its combined owner notification letter for both recall campaigns September 29, 2021. The letter included a free repair kit with updated labels and instructions cutting the forward-facing limit to 65 pounds and 49 inches [3]. Dorel also offered a free RodiSport Booster. NHTSA’s own filing had planned owner-mailing windows for both campaigns: October 8 to 22 for campaign 21C-003, and October 18 to November 5 for campaign 21C-004, both in 2021.

September 13, 2021: NHTSA Recall Reports Filed for Both Campaigns

Dorel filed NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Reports for both recall campaigns on September 13, 2021. The reports listed 83,000 potentially involved units under campaign 21C-003 [4]. A separate report gave 4,000 units under campaign 21C-004 [5]. A news release two days later was the first to name the Pria 70 and Pria 85 together in one announcement [6].

August 31, 2021: Dorel Adds the Pria 70 to the Recall

Dorel found on August 31, 2021 that a limited number of Pria 70 units, made January 1, 2019-July 31, 2019, showed the same head-injury risk found in the Pria 85, based on NHTSA’s Part 573 report for campaign 21C-004. That finding opened a second campaign, 21C-004, covering the Pria 70 alone. Together, the two campaigns cover about 87,000 seats made across both models.

August 27, 2021: Dorel Announces the Recall

Dorel Juvenile Group announced a voluntary recall of the Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 Convertible car seat on August 27, 2021 [7]. DJ USA confirmed the recall in a news release three days later [8]. Consumer Reports also covered the recall the same day, citing about 83,000 affected seats [9]. That figure covered only the Pria 85 population at the time.

August 17, 2021: NHTSA Determines Head-Injury Risk

Dorel determined on August 17, 2021 that the Pria 85, along with the Pria 85 Max, did not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 (FMVSS No. 213)’s head-injury protection requirement in forward-facing, lap-belt-only use. This finding, from NHTSA’s Part 573 report, was made after NHTSA’s 2019-2020 model year testing and a follow-up check at MGA Research. It triggered the recall for these two models, and the Pria 70 was added two weeks later.

Which Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seats Are Affected?

The recall covers three Maxi-Cosi Pria convertible car seat models, identified by these model number prefixes:

• Maxi-Cosi Pria 85 and its Pria 85 Max version, model numbers starting CC121, CC156, CC182, CC183, CC191, CC201, CC212, CC213, CC217 or CC221 (NHTSA campaign 21C-003), made between January 1, 2019 and August 17, 2021
• Maxi-Cosi Pria 70, model numbers starting CC133 (NHTSA campaign 21C-004), made between January 1, 2019 and July 31, 2019

The model number and manufacture date are printed on a label on the underside of the seat’s base, and a seat matching one of the ranges above, made within its campaign’s production window, is considered part of this recall.

Why Were the Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seats Recalled?

The Maxi-Cosi Pria car seats made by Dorel were recalled because they could fail a federal safety standard meant to protect young children from head injuries in a crash. Dorel tested the seats forward-facing, held only by the vehicle’s lap belt and without the top tether attached. In that mode, a test dummy’s head moved too far forward, failing FMVSS No. 213. NHTSA and Dorel confirmed the noncompliance for the Pria 85 line first, then for some Pria 70 seats made in a separate production window. The Latest Updates section above gives the exact date and source for each finding.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

No injuries or incidents have been reported in connection with this recall. Dorel’s own notice confirmed this when announcing the recall, and no incident reports have surfaced since. Reports are not proof that a product caused every incident, and the absence of reports does not mean the defect cannot cause harm. Owners should still follow the remedy steps below. Dorel’s original August 2021 recall notice reported this figure, and no later NHTSA or manufacturer material has been found to contradict it. Any new injury reports would be expected to appear in NHTSA’s own recall and complaint records for these two campaigns going forward.

What Should Consumers Do?

Owners of an affected Maxi-Cosi Pria car seat should take the following steps:

1. Check your seat’s model number and manufacture-date code on the label under the seat’s base against the recalled ranges above.
2. Keep using the seat rear-facing at any time. For forward-facing use, attach the top tether and keep the child under 65 pounds and 49 inches, following the updated labels.
3. Contact Dorel at 1-877-657-9546, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, or e-mail Pria85recall@djgusa.com to request the free repair kit or, for a larger child, the free RodiSport Booster.
4. Register the seat with Dorel, if not already registered, to receive any recall notice by mail or e-mail.
5. Contact NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or www.safercar.gov, if the free remedy is not provided promptly.

Legal Options

No lawsuit, multidistrict litigation, class action, or settlement over the Maxi-Cosi Pria recall has been identified. The JPML‘s own pending-MDL list names no case involving Dorel, Maxi-Cosi, Pria, or car seats [10]. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation. Families weighing next steps after a related crash injury can seek a free case review to learn more.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for a product-injury claim come from state law, not from this recall notice. How long a family has to file can depend on where they live. It also depends on when the injury happened and when it was diagnosed, since some states start the clock at diagnosis rather than at the injury itself. Missing that window can end a claim, even with strong facts, so anyone considering one should talk to a lawyer soon. Related Articles:

• Diono Cambria 2 Booster Seat Recall Lawsuit

Frequently Asked Questions

What Safety Standard Did the Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seats Fail?

The Maxi-Cosi Pria car seats failed FMVSS No. 213, Section 5.1.3(a)(1). That section sets the head-excursion limit for a forward-facing seat used with a lap belt only and no top tether.

What Is a Top Tether and Why Does It Matter?

A top tether is the strap that runs from the top of the seat to a hook that clips into its tether anchor, and it matters because Dorel’s updated labels now require it for forward-facing use as part of this recall’s remedy.

What Is the Free RodiSport Booster?

The free RodiSport Booster is the alternative remedy Dorel offers for larger children, rated for 40 to 100 pounds and 43 to 57 inches. It cannot be used with a lap belt alone and includes an optional lower-anchor attachment.

How Much Did the Test Dummy’s Head Move in NHTSA’s Crash Test?

The test dummy’s head moved more than 813 millimeters in NHTSA’s crash test, above the limit FMVSS 213 allows. NHTSA used a 10-year-old dummy in a forward-facing Maxi-Cosi Pria seat held by the lap belt alone, which is why Dorel and NHTSA opened the recall.

Where Was the Recalled Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seat Sold?

The recalled Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria car seats were sold in the United States in stores and online from 2019 to the present. Sellers included Buy Buy Baby, Albee Baby Carriage, Nordstrom, Pishposh Baby, and Babinski’s Baby, besides Walmart, Target, and Amazon. The recall notice does not state a price.

Were the Maxi-Cosi Pria Car Seats Sold in Canada?

No, Dorel’s own recall materials state plainly that this recall does not involve any Maxi-Cosi Pria car seats sold in Canada. The Canada section of the manufacturer’s live Safety Notices page lists other brands but carries no separate Pria-specific notice.

References

1. https://www.buckleupnc.org/resources/hsrc_carseat_recalls.pdf
2. https://maxicosi.com/pages/safety-notices
3. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCONL-21C003-6639.pdf
4. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21C003-7443.PDF
5. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21C004-6187.PDF
6. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dorel-juvenile-announces-a-voluntary-recall-of-certain-maxi-cosi-pria-70-and-pria-85-convertible-car-seats-301378092.html
7. https://maxicosi.com/pages/dorel-juvenile-voluntary-recall-certain-maxi-cosi-pria-85-convertible-child-seats
8. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dorel-juvenile-announces-a-voluntary-recall-of-certain-maxi-cosi-pria-85-convertible-car-seats-301365473.html
9. https://www.consumerreports.org/recalls/maxi-cosi-pria-85-convertible-child-car-seat-is-recalled-a4921973241/
10. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/pending-mdls-0