Recalls of the Week

My weekly installment of the recalls that hit last week on consumer products. Let’s get right to it:
1. MUNCHKIN DELUXE BOTTLE AND FOOD WARMER: When we were new parents with our first born, 17 years ago, the big craze was “wipe warmers”. You would put your baby wipes in there and it would keep them nice and warm so at night when you had to change your kid, they wouldn’t freak out from the cold wipe on their bottom. Well, Munchkin Inc., a company based out of California, makes a Deluxe Bottle and Food Warmer, which allows you to warm food and bottles of various sizes. (Guess the microwave ain’t good enough or fast enough anymore.) Lot number TP-1487 (shown on the bottom of the warmer) is being recalled because it can overheat, leading fire. There were sold between June 07 and April 08. If you have one, call them at 866-619-8673 or see their website, www.munchkin.com.
2. 2008 HONDA TRX500 ATVs: This is a bad one. Many moons ago, as a young lawyer learning to defend auto manufacturers, I got heavily involved in defending various manufacturers of ATVs in cases in which the plaintiff was claiming ATVs were unstable and leading to the death and maiming of individuals, many of them young kids. They were very tough cases to handle as a young lawyer as the plaintiff’s lawyers were very aggressive and it was hard to defend a product which was killing young kids who had no idea how dangerous these products could be. However, I always had a hard time understanding how a parent could allow a child to drive a machine which could go anywhere from 35-50mph or more and think they would be just fine with no supervision. I had a hard time letting my 15 year old get behind the wheel of a car, how could a parent allow a 10 or 12 year old child take off on a motorcycle type vehicle, with little or no training or no supervision. Dumbfounded me. Anyway, the 2008 Honda Model TRX500 4 wheeler is being recalled because apparently the electric power steering shaft can break, resulting in the rider losing control. This is BAD. Driving 40 or 50 miles and hour, in an open vehicle, the drive shaft breaks, you lose control and all that can happen is only bad. As Honda represents, “this poses a risk of injury or death to the riders.” The problematic models were sold at Honda dealers between October 2007 through March 2008. If you have one of these models, STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY!! Contact your Honda ATV dealer to get an appointment for a free repair. If you in fact had a problem with one of these ATVs and need some advice, you are welcome to call me for assistance.
3. PLAYWORLD SWINGSETS: Anytime I see problems with products meant for children, I will try and get the word out there to all of you. Children are the innocents (generally that is, don’t forget, I do have teenagers). They don’t know about “warnings” and “reading directions” and when it comes to taking risks, generally they will do it because of their lack of fear and feelings that they will live forever. A Playground Swing Set manufactured by Playworld Systems out of Pennsylvania, is being recalled becuase a part known as a “clevis bearing” can wear out and the swing can then detach and off the kid will go…or fly. This part appears to be the part that attaches the chain of the swing to the set itself. These sets…worst of all…were generally sold by dealers to daycares and children learning centers between January 2007 and February 2008. Therefore, if the daycare where you send your child got a new swing set in the last year or so, you may want to ask them to check it out and see if its one of these recalled swing sets. The part numbers for the swing sets that have this problem can be found here. Please check it out if you have any concerns. Like they say, better safe than sorry.
That raps up this past weeks significant consumer product recalls. Remember, be careful out there.