Baby strollers, prams, toys recall: Products that failed the test

Baby strollers, prams, toys recall, products that failed the test. How to search for products on the recall list and what to do next in case you find the product you own has failed the test.

We often hear of cases where a faulty product caused injury or in some unfortunate cases even the death of a person or a child.

These are grim reminders of how bad quality or a defect in a product can cause serious harm to a person. I always advise all my friends, especially those buying baby products to do a mandatory check of the product they buy, for recalls.

Thankfully there are government agencies such as CPSC to keep a check on products and protect the interests of consumers.

Past Stroller Recalls Due to Potential Injury Hazards

Here are some past accidents and CPSC warnings for Baby Products.

UPPAbaby is recalling its all-terrain RIDGE jogging strollers due to amputation or laceration hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that the rear disc brakes on this stroller have openings that can hurt a non-occupant child’s fingertip if it gets caught in the openings while the stroller is in motion. Owners of this stroller should contact UPPAbaby to get free replacement brake discs for both the wheels.

SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper made by Summer Brands. This inclined sleeper results in babies sleeping at an angle; the agency feels it puts babies at risk of suffocation, especially those babies who can’t yet hold their heads up.

CPSC says, “both of Baby Trend Tango Mini stroller’s hinge joints can release and collapse under pressure, posing a fall hazard to children in the stroller.

Valco Rover pram toddler board accident in which a toddler riding the board was hurt.

CBS News reports that consumers have filed at least 200 complaints against Britax Child Safety’s B.O.B. jogging strollers, as per CPSC. The strollers have been blamed for at least 97 injuries, including 50 injuries to children.

Graco recalls millions of baby strollers over concerns that a hinge could pinch or sever a child’s fingertip.

The models include Graco and Century-brand strollers made in China between August 200 and September 2014, and were sold at Walmart, Toys “R” Us and Target retail stores. Read more on CPSC.gov and on Graco’s recall announcement page.

In case you own one of these strollers, please be careful and ensure that the hinges are firmly locked after unfolding the stroller. As parents, you’re advised to immediately remove children from a stroller that begins to fold. You are also requested to contact Graco for a repair kit at the earliest.

Graco had faced problems in the recent past with their car seats as well, when earlier in 2014, they had to recall nearly 4 million car seats because of fear that children could become trapped by the buckles. More at foxbusiness.com

Stokke recalls Trailz Strollers as the stroller handle on these strollers can break while in use, posing a fall hazard. No injuries howere were reported. To identify this stroller, check for the Stokke logo on the front of the seat and the “Trailz” model name printed on a tracking label affixed to the front of the wheelbase assembly. These strollers were sold in specialty baby stores between the period November 2014 to December 2014. Read more on Stokke’s official site.

CPSC, Kolcraft announce recall of toy steering wheel attachments sold on strollers. The steering wheel can break away from its base, allowing the small plastic turn signal and horn pieces to come off, posing a choking hazard to young children. Read more here.

UPPAbaby recalls 71,000 strollers and seats because children could bite off a piece of the stroller’s foam crossbar and potentially choke on it. The recall covers 2015 Cruz and Vista strollers and RumbleSeats. Consumers should remove the bumper bar and contact UPPAbaby to get a free cover for the bar and a warning label, according to the CPSC. Source: stltoday.com

BOB Jogging Stroller Recall Controversy: Several Bob strollers including Revolution FLEX, PRO, SE and CE, Stroller Strides Fitness, Sport Utility and IRONMAN models that were made before September 30, 2015, faced problems with its wheel. The front wheel on most of these strollers unexpectedly detached causing injury to the child. You can go through this video to understand how to attach the front wheel properly.

Delta recalls “J is for Jeep”, a popular jogging stroller due to hazard of the child falling out of the seat, as per US CPSC. Consumers can visit the company website for a free repair.

As per CPSC, Instep Safari, Instep Grand Safari, Instep Flight, Schwinn Turismo, and Schwinn Discover single and double occupancy swivel wheel jogging strollers were voluntarily recalled due to a safety hazard involving the front wheel as it became loose or unstable, resulting in injuries (including head injuries, sprains, lacerations, bumps, bruises, and abrasions). Users were advised to stop using the recalled jogging strollers and contact Pacific Cycle to obtain a repair kit in order to secure the front wheel.

How To Search for Recalled Products & Remedial Action

Here’s how to search for recalls of Baby Products / Toys and the next steps to be taken if the product is found in the list of recalled products.

CPSC or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is responsible for almost 30% drop in injuries and deaths by consumer products in the last 30 years. The agency website carries a list of products that were recalled that were believed to cause some harm or injury to individuals.

You can check the list before you buy any product to make sure it is not on the list of CPSC and if it is, the reason why it is on the list. Checking the CPSC list for baby products that have been recalled is an easy task and hardly takes 5-10 minutes of your time.

• Visit the CPSC website (consumer product safety commission)
• There is a link on Recalls and Product Safety News. Click on it.
• You can search the product on the basis of recalls in recent months, by month and year, by manufacturer and product type. You can also click on Child Products or Toys link to see product recalls related to babies.
• Browse the list of products and if you find any product listed that you are using at home, click on the product. Check your product number against those listed under Description for more information on the products recall.
• If the list you check has a product that you use, ensure that you read all details regarding the recall on the information page. At the bottom of the page, there is a link called Remedy and Consumer Contact. Click on that and you will find a list of instructions that will help you resolve the problem. You may either get a full refund, replacement parts or a brand new product.
• If you ever encounter a problem with a product that has caused you harm or injury, irrespective of it being recalled or not, report it to the CPSC online. There are forms you can fill for the same at https://www.cpsc.gov/incident.html.

A word of caution

• The CPSC has no hold over car seats and cosmetic products but it does have jurisdiction over child-safe packaging. However, for car seats recalls you can check National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s car seat recall website. The link for the same is http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm
• For medicines and cosmetic product recalls, check with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The link for the same is http://www.fda.gov/ .

What to do When Baby Products Are Recalled?

Here’s what to do when your baby products or toys are recalled. First, take a look at the CPSC.gov website and find the page for the product recall. New recalls are posted right on the CPSC homepage.

Find out what the hazard, or reason for the recall, is. Double-check your model numbers and styles to be sure that it is actually your baby product that is being recalled. Sometimes only specific date codes within a model number may be recalled.

Sometimes the problem is easily fixed by removing a dangerous part or ordering a repair kit.

Common Remedies for Recalled Products
Some steps that nay be taken for recalled baby products are:

• Return the product to the manufacturer for replacement
• Return the product to the store where purchased for exchange or refund
• Return a piece of the product to the manufacturer for replacement
• Order a free repair kit
• Dispose of the product and receive a refund or replacement
• Remove the dangerous piece to remove the hazard
• Replace warning labels or instruction books
• Visit the company’s website and check for additional Safety notices.

Related: Take a look at the various safety features of a stroller and go through our detailed stroller buying guide.

Contact Manufacturer for Recalled Baby Products
You will need to contact the manufacturer in some way (toll-free phone or through their website) for product recalls. At times, retail stores may also be able to help in the recall process, so you may be able to simply return the recalled baby products to the store for a refund or exchange.

Registering Baby Products In Case of Recall
In general, its a good practice to register your baby products immediately, using the enclosed forms, when you buy them. If you’ve registered your products, the manufacturer can contact you directly when a recall is issued. If you threw away your registration cards, you can often register by calling the manufacturer with the model numbers and other pertinent product information.

If you haven’t registered your baby’s car seat, you can find electronic registration forms for most manufacturers at SaferCar.gov.

Fixing the Recalled Baby Product On Your Own
Unless CPSC or the manufacturer instructs you to fix a recalled product or to install a repair kit, you should ideally avoid fixing it on your own, as you may not have the resources to thoroughly test the fix. CPSC specifically warns against trying to fix broken or recalled cribs on your own. In fact, some infant deaths related to DIY crib repairs, have also been reported by CPSC. So, avoid it!

External Links

CHOICE reveal 18 products that failed pram and stroller test