ADAC crash test: Britax Baby-Safe Pro buckle failed and the dummy came out

On 6 October 2026, ADAC published a warning about the BABY-SAFE PRO infant carrier combined with the VARIO BASE 5Z base. In a frontal crash test with the seat in the reclined position, the harness buckle failed and the test dummy was ejected from the carrier. ADAC rated the combination's frontal impact protection 'poor' and advises against buying it.

Britax Römer told customers the result was unexpected and that a technical investigation is underway, maintaining that the BABY-SAFE PRO meets applicable legal requirements; it noted the problem did not occur in another ADAC test of the current product configuration in June 2026. While the investigation continues it advises parents to use the most upright seating position or install the carrier with the vehicle's three-point belt, configurations in which the buckle problem did not appear in the tests described.

No recall has been announced. Swiss baby-gear retailer 4mybaby went further than the manufacturer: it opened a voluntary return programme for every BABY-SAFE PRO + VARIO BASE 5Z combination it sold, in store or online, paying back the purchase price as a voucher and covering already-used items too.

ADAC rated frontal impact protection 'poor' and advises against the combination; retailer 4mybaby opened voluntary returns; Britax has not announced a recall

The harness buckle — the component that keeps the baby in the shell — failed in the very position parents use for newborns

The failure surfaced in ADAC's own test programme, not in the manufacturer's certification testing

The manufacturer's response was investigation and usage advice, not a recall, while legal compliance was emphasised

A retailer was willing to take the whole product line back before the maker committed to any remedy

Meeting the legal standard is not the same as surviving an independent crash test — for a product whose entire pitch is protecting a baby, one 'poor' rating can decide the market.

Britax Römer says further measures are being considered; ADAC tells parents to keep the carrier as upright as possible or install it without the base using the vehicle's belt, where the buckle problem did not occur. 4mybaby's voluntary returns remain open while the manufacturer's investigation continues.