Study shows nearly 1M vehicles have open recalls for faulty child car seat anchors

Nearly one million vehicles currently on U.S. roads have open recalls involving defective child seat anchors, potentially putting millions of children at risk, according to new data from CARFAX.

The recalls involve LATCH systems — short for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children — a federally required safety feature in most vehicles made since 2003. LATCH systems use built-in metal anchors and tethers to secure car seats without relying on seat belts, helping keep young passengers firmly restrained during a crash.

CARFAX said its analysis found hundreds of thousands of vehicles recalled in recent years for problems tied to faulty LATCH connectors, including defective welds, misaligned anchors and protective coatings that can interfere with proper installation.

California tops the list of states with the most unfixed LATCH recalls, with about 132,900 affected vehicles, followed by Texas at roughly 89,800 and Florida with about 60,700. New York ranks fourth with approximately 51,400 vehicles, while Ohio places fifth at around 42,300.

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Pennsylvania follows with about 40,900, Georgia with roughly 37,500, and North Carolina with around 33,600. Illinois ranks ninth with approximately 30,200 vehicles still under recall, and Virginia rounds out the top 10 with about 27,900.

CARFAX did not name specific manufacturers but said the affected vehicles are spread across a wide range of brands and model years. It added that drivers, especially parents and caregivers, should check whether their vehicles are affected.

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“LATCH systems are designed to protect our most vulnerable passengers,” said Faisal Hasan, CARFAX’s vice president of data. “These recalls are not isolated to just one automaker or model year, so parents should check right away if their vehicle has an open recall and schedule free repairs as soon as possible.”

Even with LATCH systems, misuse of child restraints remains common, CARFAX noted, making proper installation critical.