Diono RECALL - Does This Affect Your Diono Car Seat?

I just saw an article in the Washington Post about a Diono recall and wanted to share (and possibly alleviate a little stress). Diono (formerly Sunshine Kids Juvenile) is recalling more than 500,000 child car seats because they may not properly protect children in the event of an accident. Before you panic, please keep reading.

Image courtesy of Diono.

Diono Recall

The Diono recall covers the following car seats:

Radian R100
Radian R120
Radian RXT
Olympia
Pacifica
Rainier convertible and booster seats
Dates on the production of those items range from January of 2014 to September 2017.

A report from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says children that weigh more than 65 pounds are at increased risk of an injury in the event of a crash if the lap belt is secure, but the top tether is not.

Here's a screen shot of the recall I found online at NHTSA.gov

So, does this Diono recall affect you right now? 

• This would mean your child is FORWARD FACING (if your child is rear-facing, this recall does not effect you at this very minute).
• This would mean your child is MORE than 65 pounds AND using the harness of the car seat. Most children would probably be using these seats in booster mode at this point, and that means they'd be buckled in with a lap/shoulder seatbelt.
• It would mean you aren't using the top tether. You should always use the top tether in forward-facing mode if possible. The caveat here would be if you're driving a car that does not have a top tether anchor point because it's an older model.

Diono says there are no reported injuries from the use of the car seats and that few children weighing more than 65 pounds would be harnessed into the seats. It was said that the problem was discovered in company testing.

Diono will send owners a kit with an energy absorbing pad and a new chest clip at no cost. The recall is expected to start Nov. 22. Customers with questions can call Diono at (855) 463-4666. Be sure you've got your seat registered so they can contact you.