Baby gear and car seat recalls: registering isn't enough
Mailing in a registration card is worth doing. It is not a recall system by itself.
What registration actually does
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, including the Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, requires makers of many durable infant or toddler products (cribs, bassinets, strollers, high chairs, and similar gear) to give you a registration card and to keep a record so they can notify you of a recall for that model. You have to send the card back or register online. A product bought used, handed down, or never registered is invisible to that list. Registration also does not cover every object in a nursery, and it does not replace the public recall notice.
Check the label against the notice
Find the model number and the manufacture date on the product label. Compare both with the official CPSC notice, or with the NHTSA notice for a car seat or booster. A brand can have one recalled model and a dozen that are not. If the product has a barcode, scan it here, then still read the model and date on the notice.
Stop using a match
Stop using recalled sleep products, seats, and carriers immediately, including for a short nap. The remedy in the notice is the one to use: a free repair kit, a replacement, or a refund. Repair kits exist because the company wants the product made safe rather than only thrown away. Do not sell, donate, or hand down a recalled product.
RecallRadar groups recent notices on the baby and kids page. Sign up and add the brands in your house so a later recall is emailed to you. Registration can still reach you if you move and forget to check.
Official sources
Related guides
Which agency handles which recall · How to check a car recall by VIN