Britax car seats recalled due to cracking, fall risk

• Recall affects B-Safe 35 and B-Safe 35 Elite models
• Models have a manufacture date of Oct. 1, 2014-July 1, 2015
• There have been 74 reports of the carry handles cracking

Have little ones at home?

Better check your car seat.

On Thursday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of more than 71,000 infant car seats manufactured by Britax. According to the recall notice, "the car seat carry handle can crack and break allowing the seat to fall unexpectedly, posing a risk of injury to the infant."

The recall affects the B-Safe 35 and B-Safe 35 Elite models, manufactured between Oct. 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015.

According to a safety alert posted on the commission's website, the affected products can be used as a rear-facing-only car seat and as an infant carrier. The car seat/carriers have a canopy, black shell and base, and were sold in a variety of colors. The Britax logo is printed on both sides of the seat shell and on the carry handle grip. Model numbers and the date of manufacture (DOM) are printed on a label located at the back of the infant car seat/carrier shell.

Models included in the recall are:

B-Safe 35

E9LU65M, E9LU65P, E9LU63F, E9LU66R, E9LS63F, EXLU65M

B-Safe 35 Elite

E9LS55T, E9LS56P, E9LS55U, E9LS66C, E9LS65U

B-Safe 35 Travel System

S914900, S915400, S915200, S921900, S01635200

You can also go online and check and register your model number here at the Britax site.

The products were sold at Babies R Us, Buybuy Baby, Target, Amazon.com, Diapers.com and other retailers for $210 to $250.

Britax has received 74 reports of handles developing fractures, cracks and/or breaking while in use, including one report of an infant who received a bump on the head when the carrier fell to the ground, the commission said. Information provided on Britax's website says that the recall does "not affect the safety performance of the seat when used in a motor vehicle. It is safe for consumers to continue to use their car seat when secured in a vehicle or on a stroller."

Seat Them Safely - Baby car seat information and resources

But, the company says, "the car seat should not be lifted or carried by the carry handle until the remedy kit has been installed."

In addition, Britax is recalling certain stroller models over choking concerns.

According to the safety commission, the move comes after reports that the "foam padding on the stroller's arm bar can come off in fragments if the child bites the arm bar, posing a choking hazard."

The stroller recall applies to Britax B-Ready strollers and B-Ready replacement top seats (sold separately). They were manufactured between April 2010 and December 2012. About 49,000 were sold in the U.S. and 11,000 in Canada.

The commission said there have been 117 reports of "children biting the arm bar foam padding, including five reports of children choking or gagging on foam fragments."

Reach the reporter at ginger.rough@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her at twitter.com/gingerdawnrough