Maclaren stroller recall: What to do if you have one

The Maclaren stroller recall will affect roughly 1 million strollers after 12 children had fingertip amputated in a dangerous joint.

If you own a Maclaren umbrella stroller, stop using it immediately. That's the advice of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after it announced a voluntary recall Monday of an estimated 1 million strollers made by Maclaren, a British company.

The reason: When parents unfold the strollers, children have been reported putting their fingers in a side hinge, causing 12 fingertip amputations, according to the CPSC. Parents can contact Maclaren in the US to get a free hinge cover, which is easy to install and deals with the hinge issue effectively, says CPSC spokeswoman Patty Davis.

Monday's action marks the second-largest recall of strollers since 2000, according to a review of CPSC data. Only the 2005 recall of almost 1.15 million strollers by Graco Children's Products was larger.

Here are details on the current recall and how to get a replacement:

What: All nine models of Maclaren's double and single umbrella strollers, including Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno, and Easy Traveller purchased between 1999 and November 2009.

Where: Sold at Babies"R"Us, Target, and other retailers nationwide for between $100 and $360.

Solution: A free hinge cover from the company.

Who to contact: If you have one of the above strollers, call Maclaren USA toll-free at (877) 688-2326 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. You can also visit the company's website here. If your child has been injured by one of these strollers, the CPSC wants to know (click here).

Press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission

UPDATED: So you've filed your information with Maclaren for the required repair kit. Should you still use your stroller in the mean time? That and other questions investigated in a subsequent piece on the Maclaren stroller recall.

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See also:

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— David Grant is a Monitor contributor. Let us know how the recall process goes for you on Twitter.