Federal Motor Transport Authority warns of danger to life – universal Isofix adapter banned
A popular retrofit of Isofix adapters for child seats is not safe and puts people at risk. The Federal Motor Transport Authority urgently warns against universal Isofix adapters.
In newer vehicles, child seats and infant carriers are always secured by the Isofix brackets and are therefore also certified for accident safety. In older cars without Isofix, universal Isofix adapters that could be ordered online were often used as retrofits. However, these have proven to be unsafe in the latest investigations and tests by the Automotive Engineering Division at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW).
Universal Isofix adapters are unsafe and not allowed
The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has now issued an urgent public warning against the use of universal Isofix adapters, which are generally not allowed in Germany. Since the sellers and manufacturers of these adapters are often based outside the EU, the KBA has decided to issue this public warning. In the tests and investigations of the HTW, it has been shown that child seats that were attached via universal Isofix adapters came loose completely on impact and moved freely in the car. A risk that tends to be fatal for passengers.
Child seats must only be attached to the vehicle's own and tested and approved Isofix points. According to the KBA, if vehicle owners do not have an Isofix attachment in their car, they should find out about possible retrofitting options from the vehicle manufacturer itself.
In most new cars, the Isofix brackets have been part of the standard equipment since 2006.