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The problem is with the harness that secures the child into the seat, according to a news release from the company. The company will mail repair kits and says that the car seats should not be returned to the retailer. The Chicago Tribune, however, has a few things to say about the car seats in question...

From the Chicago Tribune:

The safety notice comes six weeks after the Tribune reported that Dorel's Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 seat and a related Cosco Alpha Omega 5-point, two of the models recalled, had failed government crash tests in 2005. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates car seats, concluded there wasn't a safety problem after reviewing Dorel's own test results.

The company's chief legal counsel, Bruce Weisenthal, said Friday that the recall is not connected to the government's tests. Weisenthal said the voluntary recall stemmed from concern in Canada, where some parents reported difficulty maintaining tension in the straps after buckling their child in a seat.

"It was something that Canadians brought to our attention that we then voluntarily reported to NHTSA," Weisenthal said. "It did not derive from injuries or accidents or any child that got hurt."

He added that instances of slippage are rare.

At least one child has been injured in one of the models that was recalled. The Tribune reported that 1-year-old Hailey Schmidt of Missouri was in an Eddie Bauer seat when her head snapped too far forward in a January 2005 head-on crash, leaving her a quadriplegic. Dorel settled a lawsuit with Hailey's parents without admitting fault.

Weisenthal said the family's injury claim had nothing to do with the restraint system. The Schmidts alleged in their lawsuit that the car seat was not compatible with and could not be tightly installed in the rear seats of many vehicles, including their 1996 Nissan Maxima.

Six Eddie Bauer models and six Cosco models were among the car seats recalled. Dorel also recalled certain models sold under the brand names Safety 1st, Alpha Elite and Alpha Sport. All of the recalled models were manufactured between Nov. 1, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2005.

Maker recalls car seats for kids [Chicago Tribune]
Dorel Juvenile Group

When I get to the desk, I proffer it and say that it's broken, and that I was told that they'd deal with it, but I don't know if that means that they'll fix it, or send a replacement, or what. The girl checks with her manager, who's standing right next to her, but is on the phone. The manager interrupts her phone call to tell me to go pick out another one. They don't even look at it to see if it's actually broken.

I do so and bring it back to the counter. Exact same model; the only one left. The person helping me again checks with the manager, who again interrupts her phone call (it sounded like she was calling corporate). She tells her staff person to just snip off the tag and they'll do the return later. The girl snips off the tag and hands me the umbrella. I leave the store, new umbrella in hand.

Anne's email, inside...

File this one under the "happy customer" heading.

A few years ago, I bought an Eddie Bauer umbrella. It seemed a bit pricey to me for an umbrella, but what sold me was the staff member pointing out that if anything goes wrong with it, they'll take care of it. I don't remember the exact wording, but that was the gist of it.

Yesterday (a very rainy day here) I note that it had stopped expanding all the way, and figure out that it had lost a screw somehow. I happen to be near the store I bought it in, so I stop by.

When I get to the desk, I proffer it and say that it's broken, and that I was told that they'd deal with it, but I don't know if that means that they'll fix it, or send a replacement, or what. The girl checks with her manager, who's standing right next to her, but is on the phone. The manager interrupts her phone call to tell me to go pick out another one. They don't even look at it to see if it's actually broken.

I do so and bring it back to the counter. Exact same model; the only one left. The person helping me again checks with the manager, who again interrupts her phone call (it sounded like she was calling corporate). She tells her staff person to just snip off the tag and they'll do the return later. The girl snips off the tag and hands me the umbrella. I leave the store, new umbrella in hand.

In and out in less than five minutes. Probably less than three. I've got a brand new umbrella, everything's taken care of, and I'm a happy customer. Now that, my friends, is how a company earns brand loyalty. That's how to do it right.

• Eddie Bauer is holding a 60% off winter sale on clothing for women and men, as well as 'gear.' The online outlet follows suit with an additional 5% off.

• If you squeeze your shopping in this morning, Gamestop.com has free shipping until 11am PST for orders over $75. Use code: 3DAY75.

• And since it wouldn't be indicative of the hopelessness of fighting the American cellular telephone hegemony to complain about a company on the same day you post a deal for their product, Cingular is offering the RIM Blackberry 8700c for $150 with a $150 rebate with a (probably two-year) contract.

• Today's Woot!: A 250GB hard drive for $55. Not a had deal at all if it were new. Unfortunately, these drives are refurbished, and god knows what happened to them before Woot got them in stock. We'd say pass—hard drives are fragile enough as it is.