November 16, 2004
The Nautilus Group is recalling its Bowflex Power Pro and Ultimate Fitness Machines. The seat pin on the Power Pro with Lat Tower and Ultimate models can break or become disengaged, allowing the seat to move suddenly.
Also, the incline support bracket on the Power Pro without a Lat Tower can break, allowing the incline bench to move suddenly. Both hazards pose a fall risk to the user.
Nautilus has received 46 reports of the seat pin failure, including two serious injuries requiring stitches to the head. Additionally, Nautilus received 42 reports of the incline support bracket failure including injuries to the back, neck and head.
The recalled fitness machines are the Bowflex Power Pro with and without a Lat Tower and Ultimate models built before September 1, 2002. The Lat Tower attaches to the back of the bench, and has pull-down pulleys attached. The name Bowflex and the model name are printed on the front of the machines.
The machines were sold at specialty fitness stores, infomercials and direct sales nationwide from January 1995 through April 2004 for between $1,200 and $1,600.
Consumers should stop using the incline support mechanism and contact Bowflex to receive a free repair kit. Consumers who participated in the Bowflex safety recall earlier in 2004, and owners of Ultimate units do not need to call Bowflex for a repair kit, as they will receive one automatically. Nautilus is contacting owners of affected machines by direct mail where the name is known to the firm.
Contact Bowflex at (800) 820-8604 between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. PT Monday through Saturday, or visit the firms Web site at www.bowflex.com.
The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
