Today Combi USA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of the Combi Shuttle Travel System because the car seat can disengage from the stroller. Consumer Reports discovered this problem in its tests last fall and notified the manufacturer about the problem. Combi immediately stopped selling the product, which had been available through online retailers between June 2015 and September 2016.
In our routine stroller tests, we slowly tip over each travel system three different ways—to the front, to the back, and to one side—to verify that the car seat stays securely in place. On each of the three Combi samples we tested, the car seat stayed in place when the stroller was tipped forward and backward. But on each sample, when the stroller was tipped to the side, the car seat frequently detached completely when hitting the ground. No injuries have been reported to the CPSC, according to the recall notice.
The recall involves Combi Shuttle Travel Systems with model numbers 6100027 and 6100100. The travel systems were sold in silver and red at Amazon.com, BabiesRUs.com, Target.com, and other online retailers for $350 to $400. To identify an affected stroller, look for the brand Combi printed on the front of the stroller and the car seat. The word Shuttle is printed above the model number, which can be found on one of the stroller's legs and the base of the car seat.
Remedy
Combi is offering owners a free repair, which consists of straps to secure the car seat to the stroller. Although the company advises consumers to stop using the travel system, the stroller and the car seat can safely be used separately.
For more information, call Combi at 888-232-3294 or go to its website at combiusa.com and click on Safety Notifications at the bottom of the page. Combi says it's contacting consumers who registered their products.
For more information on our tests of the Combi, read "Consumer Reports Names Combi Travel System a Don't Buy: Safety Risk."
