[Recalls Page]

September 2006 Recalls and Product Safety News

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that after a trial period, Sears Holdings Corp. is now taking part in a specialized reporting program developed for retailers. Sears Holdings is the nation's third largest broadline retailer and operates Sears and Kmart stores.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of at least 47 incidents involving smoke or fire associated with notebook computers, from January 2001 through August 2006. To promote safe use of notebook computers, batteries and chargers, CPSC offers safety tips.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Lenovo (United States) Inc., of Research Triangle Park, N.C. and International Business Machines Corp., of Armonk, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 168,500 battery packs. These lithium-ion batteries can cause overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Cervélo Cycles Inc., of Toronto, Canada, is voluntarily recalling about 650 2005 R2.5 Model Carbon Fiber Bicycles and Bicycle Frames. The bicycle frames can loosen or separate, causing the rider to lose control, fall and be injured.

Cooler weather in most of the country means swimming pools have closed for the season, but parents and caregivers should know that other drowning dangers still exist in and around the home. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning that children need to be supervised around the home and protected from these potentially hidden drowning hazards.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Almar Sales Co., of New York, NY, is voluntarily recalling about 11,000 Suave Kids Bath Sets. Items in the baths sets contain small parts that pose a choking hazard to young children. Additionally, some of the handles on the carrying case are long enough to pose a strangulation hazard. Also, the plastic carrying case poses a danger of suffocation.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., of Irvine, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 400 Kawasaki MULE utility vehicles. These vehicles could have been assembled with improperly manufactured steering knuckles that could break while the vehicle is in operation. This can cause a loss of steering control and cause a crash resulting in injury or death.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Playskool, of Pawtucket, R.I., is voluntarily recalling about 255,000 Team Talkin' Tool Bench toys following the deaths of two young children. Playskool received reports that a 19-month-old boy from Martinsburg, W.V., and a 2-year-old boy from League City, Texas, suffocated when oversized, plastic toy nails sold with the tool bench toys became forcefully lodged in their throats.

From the rugged trails of West Virginia to the sand dunes in southern California, the sound of all-terrain vehicles in action can be heard across the country. However, in many communities, it is news accounts of tragic incidents being heard. To reduce the number of deaths and injuries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is leading a major campaign to educate riders young and old on the safe use of ATVs.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Gildan Activewear SRL, of Barbados, is voluntarily recalling 114,000 Youth Hooded Sweatshirts. These sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood, posing a strangulation hazard to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Cayre Group, of New York, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 4,500 "Candie's" Brand Children's Hoodie Sweatshirts with Drawstrings. These sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood, posing a strangulation hazard to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), LEGO Systems Inc., of Enfield, Conn., is voluntarily recalling about 358,000 LEGO EXPLORE Super Trucks. The plastic wheels on the truck can detach, exposing a metal axle. This poses a puncture hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Advantus Corp., of Jacksonville, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 1,000 Ledu-Brand Desk Lamps. The plastic near the bulb of these lamps can overheat and melt. This poses a burn hazard to consumers who could touch the hot plastic.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Regal Lager Inc., of Kennesaw, Ga., is voluntarily recalling about 1,000 "phil & teds" T2 Travel Cots. The plastic cap on the corner connectors can come loose, posing a small parts choking hazard to young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Roden Industries Inc., Hollywood, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 740 "Que Cute" Children's Bathrobes. These bathrobes fail to meet the children's sleepwear flammability standard, and pose a burn hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Arctic Cat Inc., of Thief River Falls, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 50,500 Arctic Cat Snowmobiles. The steering shaft used on certain 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Arctic Cat snowmobiles can fail at the steering shaft/steering arm attachment. This could cause a loss of steering control of the vehicle, and result in injury or death.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), QVC Inc., of West Chester, Pa. and Stafford Worldwide Marketing, of Northvale, N.J., are voluntarily recalling about 2,200 sets of four Therma Drinking Glasses. The inner walls of the double-walled glasses can break during use, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Canon Inc., of Japan, is voluntarily recalling about 800,000 Canon Desktop Copiers. An improperly fitting electrical connection inside the copiers can cause overheating, smoking and fire.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Segway Inc., of Bedford, N.H., is voluntarily recalling about 23,500 Segway Personal Transporters (PT) [also known as the Segway Human Transporter (HT)]. The personal transporter can unexpectedly apply reverse torque to the wheels, which can cause a rider to fall. This can occur when the device is tilted back by the Speed Limiter and the rider comes off and then back onto the device within a short period of time.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), True Religion, of Los Angeles, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 150 True Religion Brand Fleece Hoodies. A drawstring is threaded through the hood, posing a strangulation hazard to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Onward Manufacturing, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Mi-T-M Corporation, of Peosta, Iowa, and Deere & Company, of Moline, Ill. are voluntarily recalling about 3,100 John Deere Gas Barbecue Grills. Operating the grill in windy conditions can blow the flame under the control panel, causing the grill to overheat or cause flashbacks. Flames could damage the hose that supplies gas to the burner, causing an uncontrolled flame. Also, the grill's control knobs could overheat, resulting in burns to hands.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pride Products Corp., of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., is voluntarily recalling about 42,000 Extension Cords. The counterfeit extension cords have undersized wiring and no fuse in the cord to provide over-current protection, which can cause overheating and pose a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Pier 1 Imports (U.S.) Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 4,300 Ming TV Stands. If a consumer leans on the stand's drawer when open, the unit can tilt forward and cause a television on top to slide off, posing a risk of injury or death.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning parents and caregivers about the dangers of televisions and heavy furniture tipping over and killing young children. The number of TV tip-over deaths reported to CPSC during the first seven months of 2006 is twice the typical yearly average.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), LeapFrog Enterprises Inc., of Emeryville, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 186,000 Playground Activity Centers. A child's arm can become caught in the activity center's plastic tube, posing a risk of injury to children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Triangle Tube/Phase III, of Blackwood, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 3,000 Water Heaters. The burner plate and flue hood seal on the water heaters can fail due to an improper seal causing a leak of flue gases and carbon monoxide (CO). This poses the risk of CO poisoning to consumers inside of the house.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Atico International USA Inc., of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 27,700 Patio Umbrellas. The umbrella poles contain paint with excessive levels of lead, which can cause adverse health effects if ingested by young children.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Olympus Imaging America Inc., of Center Valley, Pa., is voluntarily recalling about 1.2 million (including 24,000 additional cameras) various Olympus-Brand 35mm Film Cameras. A defect with the flash circuit in these cameras can cause it to smoke and overheat when the camera is turned on. This poses a possible burn hazard to consumers.