Recaro Car Seat Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

RECARO Child Safety, LLC voluntarily recalled the RECARO ProRIDE and Performance RIDE convertible child car seats on September 15, 2015. The recall covers 173,063 seats built between April 9, 2010, and June 9, 2015. In the affected seats, part of the shell near the top tether can crack, which may let the tether pull free in a crash. The seats did not pass a required federal safety test. No injuries have been reported. RECARO asks owners to keep using the seat as instructed in the manual until a free load-limiting strap kit arrives, and to contact the company directly. The recall remains open.

Latest Recaro Car Seat Recall Updates

September 15, 2015: Recaro Announces Voluntary Recall

RECARO Child Safety, LLC announced a voluntary recall of 173,063 ProRIDE and Performance RIDE child car seats on September 15, 2015. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing had found that the top-tether area of the shell could crack. The Center for Auto Safety later reported that RECARO resisted the finding for more than 18 months before issuing the recall [1]. The recall affects seats manufactured between April 9, 2010, and June 9, 2015.

Which Recaro Car Seats Are Affected?

RECARO Child Safety, LLC recalled the following part numbers across its two ProRIDE and Performance RIDE convertible car seat lines:

• ProRIDE seats, part numbers 332.01.AK21, 332.01.KAEC, 332.01.KAEG, 332.01.KK91, 332.01.MC11, 332.01.MJ15, 332.01.QA56, 332.01.QA9N, 332.01.QQ11, 332.01.QQ14, and 332.01.QQ95
• Performance RIDE seats, part numbers 333.01.CHIL, 333.01.HABB, 333.01.HAZE, 333.01.JEBB, 333.01.JETT, 333.01.KNGT, 333.01.MABB, 333.01.MARI, 333.01.MNGT, 333.01.PLBB, 333.01.PLUM, 333.01.REBB, 333.01.REDD, 333.01.ROBB, 333.01.ROSE, 333.01.SABB, 333.01.SAPH, 333.01.SLBB, 333.01.SLTE, 333.01.VIBB, and 333.01.VIBE

The part number is printed on a white sticker on the side of the seat, along with the date of manufacture. Owners who are unsure whether their seat is included can check the part number and manufacture date against this list before contacting RECARO.

Why Were the Recaro Car Seats Recalled?

The RECARO ProRIDE and Performance RIDE seats were recalled because the top-tether area of the shell can crack and separate from the restraint during a crash, so the seats failed federal safety testing. NHTSA found the defect (which relates to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213 for child restraint systems) during routine compliance crash testing in late 2013 and early 2014. The cracking can happen when the seat is installed forward-facing with the top tether strap attached and used by a child who weighs more than 52 pounds. If the shell cracks during a crash, the tether can separate and the seat may not keep the child from contacting the vehicle’s interior, raising the risk of injury.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

Neither RECARO nor NHTSA has reported any injuries linked to the top-tether defect. The recall notice itself states that no injuries or serious problems have been reported. Consumer Reports later ran its own crash-performance test on the Performance RIDE and found a separate structural weakness: in some forward-facing tests, hardware at the rear of the seat shell broke and let the harness loosen [2]. Consumer Reports called the finding unrelated to this recall. That compliance defect was found in NHTSA testing, not from a pattern of real-world injuries. A recall does not mean every seat on the road has failed.

What Should Consumers Do?

RECARO and NHTSA recommend that owners of an affected ProRIDE or Performance RIDE seat take the following steps:

1. Check the seat’s part number and manufacture date on the white sticker on its side against the recalled list.
2. Keep using the seat as instructed in the owner’s manual until the replacement strap kit arrives, as RECARO’s press release advises [3].
3. Contact RECARO Customer Service at 1-888-973-2276 or info-usa@recaro-cs.com to ask for the free strap and instructions.
4. Register the car seat with RECARO if it has not already been registered, so the company can mail the recall kit directly.
5. Contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov, with any other questions.
6. Keep the recall notice, registration confirmation, and any letters with RECARO for personal records.

Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions

Transport Canada issued two separate recalls for RECARO RIDE-series seats. Recall 2015542 (November 16, 2015) covered an illegible manufacture-date label [4]. Recall 2016463 (September 21, 2016) covered a Performance RIDE infant-insert issue in rear-facing tests [5]. Separately, NHTSA campaign 09C-002 (March 2009) recalled certain older RECARO Signo child seats because the harness adjuster strap could slip [6]. That recall involved a different, older product than the ProRIDE and Performance RIDE line recalled in 2015.

Legal Options

No lawsuit has been filed over the RECARO ProRIDE or Performance RIDE recall. No class action or multidistrict case exists either. A recall does not automatically create legal liability or a right to compensation. A child hurt in a crash while using a recalled seat may have a claim, similar to the Dorel Maxi-Cosi Pria car seat recall. A lawyer can look at whether a product liability lawsuit fits a specific injury.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for a product-liability claim come from state law, not from the recall itself. Each state sets its own filing window, so the time available can depend on where the injured child lives. The window can also depend on when the crash, injury, or diagnosis happened, and some states start counting from a later date than others. A late filing can forfeit an otherwise strong claim. Anyone considering a claim tied to this recall should talk with a lawyer promptly, since a short conversation can clarify what applies to a specific state. Related Articles:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Safe to Keep Using a Recalled Recaro Car Seat?

Yes, it is safe to keep using a recalled Recaro car seat while you wait for the fix. RECARO’s recall notice says the dynamic test scores that directly affect the child stayed within federal limits during NHTSA’s testing. Only the seat shell’s tendency to crack or detach failed the standard.

Does the Recalled Recaro Car Seat Have an Official Campaign Number?

No, the recalled Recaro car seat does not have an official campaign number stated in its NHTSA notice. The identifier RCORRD-14C005 appears only in the file name of the posted notice, not inside the notice text itself.

Where Was the Recalled Recaro Car Seat Sold?

The recall notice does not say where the recalled Recaro car seat was sold, during what sale period, or at what price. RECARO’s filing covers the safety defect and the free repair, not where or when the seat reached stores.

Is the 2009 Recaro Signo Recall the Same as the ProRIDE and Performance RIDE Recall?

No, the 2009 Recaro Signo recall is not the same as the ProRIDE and Performance RIDE recall: it is a separate, older action. NHTSA campaign 09C-002 recalled the Signo in the Cobalt, Midnight Desert, Sand, and Blush colorways in March 2009 because the harness adjuster strap could slip.

Did Testing Find Any Other Problems with the Recaro Performance RIDE?

Yes, testing did find another problem with the Recaro Performance RIDE. Consumer Reports tested 25 convertible child car seat models in that round, and five, including the Performance RIDE, showed some structural issues in forward-facing tests. Only the Performance RIDE showed the failure with the smaller three-year-old test dummy.

Does the Recaro Recall Apply to Rear-Facing Installations?

No, the Recaro recall does not apply to rear-facing installations: the recall condition applies to forward-facing use only. RECARO’s release ties the cracking risk to forward-facing installation with the top tether strap in place, for a child over 52 pounds, not to rear-facing riders.

References

1. https://www.autosafety.org/after-battling-safety-agency-recaro-changes-course-car-seat-recall/
2. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/structural-weakness-found-in-recaro-performance-ride-child-seat
3. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2014/RCORRD-14C005-3605.pdf
4. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/transport-canada-recall-2015542-recaro-child-safety
5. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/transport-canada-recall-2016463-recaro-child-safety
6. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2009/RCMN-09C002-3233.pdf