Parents, this message is for you.
If you purchased a new car in or after 2002, it was required to be equipped with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system for child safety seats. This also applies to trucks and small buses, and it generally covers model years 2003 and newer.
The LATCH system comprises two metal U-shaped bars in the crevice between the rear seats of a vehicle and an anchor point behind the vehicle seat. These built-in vehicle anchors and tethers are designed to ensure safer installation of child safety seats. Child safety seats have lower hooks that connect to the anchors, and forward-facing seats have a top tether that connects to the ceiling anchor. This allows child safety seats to be safely connected to the car without using the car’s seat belts.
A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that the LATCH system has significantly improved child safety, having helped save 11,000 children’s lives since 1975.
However, this isn’t the end of the story. In January 2026, more than a million vehicles were recalled because of defective LATCH systems.
CARFAX and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released startling safety data that indicated that more than a million vehicles currently have open recalls for manufacturing defects in the LATCH anchor hardware. These defects include faulty welds, misaligned anchors, or excessive protective coatings on the metal bars that can interfere with proper child safety seat installation.
These defects triggered mandatory safety recalls, largely because child care seats are such a fundamental safety device. Parents and caregivers are being urged to check whether their vehicles are affected.
Which vehicles are affected by the 2026 LATCH recalls?
Models and vehicles include:
| Chevrolet Equinox (2020-2023) | These SUVs were recalled because the rear seat lower anchors might have excessive powder coating that would prevent the proper attachment of child seat connectors. This means the seat could be improperly installed, even if the caregiver believes it’s secure. |
| GMC Terrain (2020-2023) | |
| 2022-2023 Toyota Tacoma trucks | Investigations found that one or more upper tether anchor welds were insufficient, which could prevent a car seat from being securely tethered. |
| 2021 Nissan Rogue | Approximately 47,000 Rogue SUVs were recalled in 2021 because of improper welding of the upper tether wires to the seatback frame, which could compromise child safety seat security. |
🚨Important note🚨
The list of vehicles affected by LATCH recalls is fluid and could be incomplete as more recalls are added and additional vehicles are identified. It’s strongly recommended that a vehicle owner check their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) by using the NHTSA recall tool or the Carfax recall tracker to determine whether their specific vehicle is affected.
The LATCH recall is challenging because it’s not limited to a single automaker or model year. According to the Carfax recall tracker, these recalls have been issued by multiple manufacturers over several years, and hundreds of thousands of vehicles remain unrepaired. Of course, it’s possible that many of the unrepaired vehicles are owned by individuals who don’t use child safety seats—but if you’re purchasing either a new or pre-owned vehicle and you do use child safety seats, it’s important to verify whether the vehicle is subject to a recall and has been repaired.
How a LATCH defect could affect your child’s safety
Risk.
This is the word that matters most when it comes to your child’s safety. A vehicle with a defective LATCH anchor presents a serious safety concern for a couple of reasons.
- Child seats might not be secured correctly, even if you believe you followed the instructions and installed them properly. This increases the likelihood that a child could be unrestrained in a crash.
- Child seat hooks might not be fully engaged if they are misaligned or attached to too-thick anchor coatings.
- The flaw might not be obvious without testing and repair, even if the caregiver thinks the seat is safe.
If the vehicle is in a collision—or even if the driver makes a sudden stop—a loosely attached child seat can shift or detach, which dramatically increases the risk of injury to the child. This is the reason why these recalls are serious enough to warrant federal safety action, and why owners are urged to take their vehicles to their dealers for a remedy.
How to find out if your vehicle is affected by the LATCH recall
If you use child safety seats in your vehicle, you can check your recall status.
- Locate your VIN. This is a 17-digit number printed near the driver’s side dashboard or in your door jamb.
- Visit the NHTSA recall lookup page. Enter the VIN to view all active recalls.
- Contact your dealer. If your vehicle has an open recall, schedule a free repair appointment as soon as possible. A manufacturer is required by law to fix safety recall defects at no cost to the owner. The dealership will replace or repair the LATCH hardware so the child seats can be properly and safely installed.
What are your legal options if you have a vehicle with a recalled LATCH system?
- Free safety recall repair
Federal law requires manufacturers to repair safety recall defects at no cost to the vehicle owner. If your VIN is listed under the NHTSA recall lookup tool as needing a repair, the manufacturer must repair or replace the defective component free of charge, even if the vehicle is out of warranty. This includes parts and labor. - Reimbursement for pre-paid repairs
If you already paid out of pocket to fix a recall-related defect, you could be eligible for reimbursement from the manufacturer. You can submit a reimbursement claim by completing a form on the manufacturer’s website and submitting your receipts and documents that indicate you paid for the repair. - Lemon Law claims
You might qualify for a lemon law claim in your state if your vehicle has had repeated failures because of the LATCH defect, even after attempted repairs. These state laws protect consumers when a new vehicle cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts. A lemon law claim could result in the consumer receiving a replacement vehicle, refund of the purchase price, or compensation for other costs like rental cars. - Personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits
The most serious action resulting from a defective safety component like a LATCH system is a personal injury or wrongful death product liability lawsuit. If a child is hurt in a crash because of a failure of the LATCH system, or if the system contributed to their injury, the child (through their legal representative) may file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.
The elements involved in this type of legal action are:
- The manufacturer knew (or should have known) about the defect
- The manufacturer failed to warn consumers in a timely way
- The defect caused harm to the child
If the plaintiff is successful in a lawsuit, they could receive compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and wrongful death damages. For now, the most important thing is keeping your children—your most precious cargo—safe in any vehicle. Check for recalls on your own vehicles, along with vehicles belonging to grandparents, other caregivers, and any person who transports your child. Even for short trips, being safely restrained in a vehicle is crucial.
If you believe your vehicle is included in the LATCH recall, follow the steps above and contact the manufacturer to have the system repaired or the system replaced. If your child has been injured as a result of a faulty LATCH system, contact a personal injury lawyer in your state for further guidance about your legal options.
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