Children's product manufacturer Lerado Success has recalled more than 5,500 Mia Moda infant car seats due to two dramatic defects. "The harness splitter plate located on the rear of the seat has sharp edges which can cut the harness," the NHTSA recall notice states. "Also, the base could crack in a crash."

The recall applies to both the Viva and Viva Supreme - seats with model numbers 5000, 5050, 5070, and 5080, and bases with model numbers 5001, 5051, 5071, and 5081. The company is offering a full refund.

There's no word yet on what portion of their product line these models represent, but the company's product recall page appears to be a work in progress, and makes no mention of the recall as of this writing.

The Viva Supreme was introduced to replace the Viva just this year, so it's notable that both car seat models are included in the recall - that means this has been an ongoing problem that persisted through the seat's redesign process, which doesn't speak well for the company's R&D.

It's also notable because this is the second recall of Mia Moda car seats in the company's brief history; in November 2007 NHTSA recalled nearly 1,000 Mia Moda car seats for problems with its LATCH system design that could cause the carrier to detach from its base, as well as for a pretty egregious oversight - failing to include product registration cards with the car seats, and thus eliminating the company's ability to alert Mia Moda car seat owners to just such a recall.

Mia Moda car seats were supplied by Lerado Success, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of China's Lerado Group, which manufactures a wide variety of children's products - everything from strollers, beds and playards to soft goods and battery-operated ride-on cars - for sale in the U.S. and China. The company may also produce parts or the whole enchilada for some cheaper car seats common on retail store shelves - U.S. companies are often secretive about who supplies their internationally-produced products, but given that Lerado has counted Evenflo, Kolcraft, and a host of other major U.S. brands in its past portfolio, it wouldn't surprise us.

Viva and Viva Supreme car seats are also still widely available for purchase on shopping websites like Amazon.com. Buyer beware.

Note: This post has been edited to reflect corrections offered by Lerado Success. The changes correct a misstatement regarding the recall's nature (it was voluntary, and brought forward by the company, not initiated by the NHTSA) and the relationship between Mia Moda and Lerado Success, which is not one of ownership but a supplier/contractor relationship. We apologize for these errors.