450,000 Evenflo car seat/carriers recalled

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Evenflo Company Inc. announced a recall of Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers because of a malfunctioning handle Thursday.

Evenflo said that when used in the carrier mode the handle can unexpectedly release, allowing the seat to rotate forward and causing the infant to fall.

450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers have been recalled because of malfunctioning handles.

The units, manufactured in the United States and China, were sold nationwide through department stores and baby items stores from from December 2004 through September 2006, according to a release from NHTSA.

The announcement comes after Evenflo received 679 reports of handles unexpectedly releasing. The recall affects about 450,000 Evenflo Embrace Infant car seat/carriers made before April 8, 2006.

Evenflo reported 160 injuries to children including a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises.

Evenflo is sending a notice to all registered owners of the car seat/carriers and will send a free repair kit to strengthen the handle latch, the release said.

The company instructs consumers not to use the handle until the unit has been repaired, although the car seat can still be used, the company said through a release.

Consumers can contact the company through www.embracehandle.com.

The affected car seat/carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599.