Investigations
Lateral Movement of Child Seat
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE21015 — open, opened 2021-07-02.
NHTSA investigation PE21015 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2021-07-02 and currently open. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2021-07-02 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE21015 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a manufacturer communication, sent to subject 2020 UPPAbaby Knox Convertible Child seat owners, that alerts them t..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a manufacturer communication, sent to subject 2020 UPPAbaby Knox Convertible Child seat owners, that alerts them the seat can exhibit lateral movement when used in rear facing position. The lateral movement can occur despite secure installation. The communication goes on to instruct owners to stop using the subject car seat immediately and that if they continue to use the seat it will be at their own risk. No fatalities have been reported. The manufacturer produced a reported 1,808 Knox Convertible Child seats and as of late 12/18/2020, indicated 100% of purchasers were contacted but that 411 seats had not been returned. The manufacturer outreach to consumers involved a letter, in which UPPAbaby requested owners to refrain from using the car seat. A second letter provided instructions for owners on how to disable the seat from further use and receive a monetary refund for the seat plus a fifty dollar incentive for doing so. ODI is opening this investigation to evaluate the scope, frequency, and consequence of the alleged defect in the subject 2020 UPPAbaby Knox Convertible Child seat.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.