Britax Recalls 114,660 Car Seats Nationwide Over Handle That Can Snap Off

A loose screw hidden inside the carrying handle of certain Britax infant car seats can let that handle come partially detached while a parent is carrying a child outside the vehicle, according to a federal recall covering 114,660 seats. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration logged the recall under Campaign ID 26C006, and it spans six model lines: B-Safe Gen 2, B-Safe Gen 2 Flexfit, B-Safe Gen 2 Flexfit Plus, B-Safe 35, B-Safe Ultra, and Endeavours.

The defect centers on an internal screw within the handle that may work loose over time, according to NHTSA filings reported by Action News Jax. Because the handle doubles as the carrying grip once the seat is unclicked from a car base or stroller, a failure could cause the seat, and the infant inside it, to fall. Britax is developing a remedy for the affected seats, and owners will be notified by mail after October 19, 2026.

In the meantime, parents can call Britax directly at 888-427-4829 with questions about whether their seat is included in the recall.

Not the First Time a Britax Handle Has Failed

This isn't the first time a Britax handle has drawn a federal recall. The company recalled 75,890 B-Safe 35 and B-Safe 35 Elite infant seats back in 2016 over a separate defect in which the carry handle could crack and break outright, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. That earlier defect created the same basic hazard: a fall risk when the seat was being carried rather than secured in a vehicle.

Britax has also dealt with other component issues on the B-Safe line in recent years. In May 2017, the company recalled chest clips on B-Safe 35 seats made between November 2015 and May 2017 after finding the center tab could break off and become a choking hazard, per the Traffic Injury Prevention Project. And in November 2024, Britax issued a recall under NHTSA Campaign 24C001 for select One4Life Slim ClickTight all-in-one seats because product labels and user guides printed incorrect lower anchor weight limits, a labeling error that could lead caregivers to install the seat improperly.

Why Federal Oversight of Car Seats Runs So Deep

Every child restraint sold in the U.S. has to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, the baseline rule covering structural integrity, crashworthiness, labeling, and buckle release, according to the Indiana University Automotive Safety Program. Manufacturers self-certify that each model meets that standard before it ever reaches store shelves. The rules are also getting stricter: updated standards known as FMVSS 213a and 213b take effect in December 2026, adding mandatory side-impact crash testing and modernized frontal crash testing for newly manufactured seats, according to Chicco USA.

The stakes behind that regulatory scrutiny are significant. Properly used car seats reduce fatal crash injuries by 71% for infants under one year old and by 54% for toddlers aged 1 to 4, per National Safety Council data drawn from NHTSA statistics. Yet research cited by Britax and Safe Kids Worldwide suggests that somewhere between 46% and 59% of child car seats in the U.S. are installed or used incorrectly, even though most parents feel confident they've done it right.

Those numbers sit against a grim backdrop: 795 children younger than 13 died in U.S. motor vehicle crashes in 2024, and 167 of them were completely unrestrained at the time of the collision, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It's a reminder of why even a mechanical defect as narrow as a loose handle screw draws swift federal action and a nationwide recall notice.

This is the second major infant car seat recall Hoodline has covered in weeks, after 59,661 Evenflo REO seats were recalled in July over an adjustable headrest defect. Whether Britax will offer full seat replacements or simply repair kits, such as replacement screws or handle assemblies, remains unknown until the formal remedy notice goes out after October 19. It's also not yet known whether any infant falls or injuries have been confirmed in connection with the loose handle screws.