MAXI-COSI Complaints

My [XXX] who is rear facing was having a bout of car sickness and I pulled the carseat out to clean it. As I was attempting to clean it I noticed the strap near was fraying near the hip. I looked closer and the strap was frayed about halfway. This is the left hip where it connected to the carseat. The right side didnt have any fraying. I immediately stopped using the carseat and contacted the company. They sent me out new straps hoping that would fix the problem, but why would I replace the straps in fear it could fraying again without my knowledge. They said there wasnt much they could do and I said that I would file a formal complaint and not deal with them again. Extremely unsafe knowing there was a problem without my knowledge. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I purchased a Maxi-Cosi Peri 180 infant car seat and discovered what I believe may be a defect in the carrier-to-base locking mechanism. When the infant carrier is installed in the base and appears to be fully latched, the rear of the carrier can lift out of its locking slot with gentle upward pressure without using the release handle. The front of the carrier remains attached, but the rear partially disengages from the base. The child’s safety may be put at risk because the carrier does not appear to remain fully secured to the base during normal handling. I am concerned that if the rear of the carrier can partially disengage this easily, it could affect the seat’s performance during sudden braking or a crash. The car seat is available for inspection upon request. At the time of this report, the car seat has not been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, insurance representatives, or any other third party. I have contacted the manufacturer regarding my concerns and am awaiting their response. The seat was installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and the issue was repeatable after verifying proper installation. we have videos explaining/showing this as well.

The car seat styrofoam has detached from car seat and was previously held down by GLUE. The styrofoam has detached from shell that was previously attached by glue. Car seat was used previously for 6 months from October 2024 to April 2025 then stored in proper areas to prevent damage.

The harness on this seat has two parts which I have not seen on any other car seat. The second part/webbing is attached to a permanent harness pad which is not removable. The manual, does not indicate that you need to separate the two webbings before being able to loosen the harness. And if you do not, the harness is stuck in place. The seat has a loose attachment to its base which also raises a safety concern.

For a couple days I have had trouble tightening and loosening the straps, so I checked the back to see if the straps were catching on anything and on the actual base of the car seat, there is a part that is associated with adjusting the headrest up/down that comes out in the way of the path of the straps, and has caught on the strap and torn through the strap of the car seat itself. I tried moving that part out of the way of the strap so that the strap can have a clear path to tighten and loosen as needed, and it doesn't budge out of the way. At the point that I noticed this metal part in the way of the strap, it had already torn through the strap and compromised the car seat. I have contacted Maxi Cosi and gotten the replacement process started, and have since removed the seat from my car and am currently using one from another vehicle. The car seat is still in my possession and I have not completed the destruction process so it can still be inspected. The strap was torn and therefore compromised. No one has inspected it yet except for myself. When I contacted Maxi Cosi they did not request to see pictures. I have a video that shows this situation better but I cannot upload it. I can send it in an email though.

After unboxing my Maxi Cosi Emme 360, I was able to properly install it into my vehicle. Once installed, I manipulated the seat checking for movement from side to side. This seat did not feel secure despite being tethered, buckled, and anchored. I was going to brush this off as normal until I realized that I could actually push the shell of the seat partially off the base when the seat is in rear facing mode (this does not happen while in front facing mode). The only thing preventing the shell of the seat from detaching off the base is a thin metal cord. I called support, did a short video chat with one of their technicians, and was told this was how the seat was supposed to work. I have friends and a sibling with the same brand and model. This is not a feature they experience with their seats. I am not comfortable having my child in it, and I’d like this to be investigated if they are choosing to tell people this is safe.

I am writing to formally raise a concern regarding a defective child car seat and the lack of response from the manufacturer, Maxi-Cosi. The product is the Maxi-Cosi Emme 360 Rotating Convertible Car Seat (Order #434991006), purchased through Nordstrom. Upon installation, we discovered that the seat’s key feature, the 360-degree rotation, does not function properly. It requires excessive force and shaking to rotate, particularly when our daughter is seated. This makes the seat extremely difficult to use and raises serious concerns about safety and long-term reliability. In May 2025, I contacted Nordstrom (at their Woodfield/Schaumburg, IL store and via customer service) as well as Maxi-Cosi directly. Nordstrom declined to accept the return in-store and directed me to pursue the issue through the manufacturer warranty. I then opened a case with Maxi-Cosi customer service and provided all requested information. Despite multiple follow-ups from my side, Maxi-Cosi stopped responding entirely and has not provided a resolution. We are left with a defective car seat that cannot be safely used. I am submitting this to NHTSA both to document the defect and to request assistance in holding the manufacturer accountable for addressing this safety concern. Please let me know what further documentation you require. I can provide copies of my correspondence with Nordstrom and Maxi-Cosi. Thank you for your time and attention.

The carseat padding/fabric at the top of the carseat can become loose during use, causing a suffocation risk to a child secured in the carseat. The loose fabric may fall onto a child's face while the vehicle is being operated or during any other use and block the child's airway. The fabric is not able to be rescued meaning once the fabric has detached there is a continued risk of suffocation anytime a child is secured in the seat. The locks that attach the shell of the carseat to the base are faulty and do not release when the release button is pushed.

The car seat insert/styrofoam came apart. I had to file reports for this car seat 2 times. Went through 2 of the same car seats in the span of a year. 2 separate car seats of the same model and different manufacture dates. Filed 1st complaint August 2024 for one car seat and a 2nd complaint for the replacement I received in July 2025- a few weeks ago. I have since then received a 3rd car seat.

The contact owns a Maxi Cosi Micro Luxe Car Seat. The contact stated that when removing the infant from the car seat, the visor detached. In addition, the contact stated that the styrofoam pieces detached and separated from the car seat material. The contact stated that her three-month-old baby had been riding in an unsafe car seat. The contact stated that the car seat parts were not securely attached. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance.