Recalls in January 1970

May 27, 2004
Front Porch Classics is recalling the "Dread Pirate" coffee table game. The surface coating and the metal in the ships contain lead and pose a risk of lead poisoning to young children. A child could ingest lead by swallowing a broken part of the ship or by repeatedly mouthing the ships.

The Old Century Dread Pirate coffee table game has many playing pieces illustrating pirates, ships, coins, and treasure. This recall covers all games with lot numbers 75, 79, and 81. The lot numbers are on the bottom of the treasure chest.

The games were sold at approximately 170 toy and game stores, on-line and catalog vendors, and gift stores sold the Dread Pirate games from October 2003 through March 2004 for about $100.

Consumers should take the recalled Dread Pirate ships away from children immediately and call Front Porch for free replacement toy ships that do not contain lead and will not break.

Consumer Contact: Call Front Porch at (800) 526-0314 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday. Or visit the companys web site: https://www.frontporchclassics.com.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

They were sold under various trademarks which are printed on the front of the distillers. These trademarks include Millennium, Mountain Stream, Pure Logic, Sci Can, WaterWise, TIC, Usana, Table Charm, Roex and West Bend. A label on the bottom of the unit has the model number, W10120, and a date code from 9722 to 9848 in black print. Labels with red or gold print are not part of the recall. 

Direct selling dealers and door-to-door sales representatives nationwide sold these recalled distillers from May 1998 through August 1999 for about $500.

Consumers should stop using these water distillers immediately and should call West Bend to get free pickup and repair of the water distillers. In addition, the company will return each repaired water distiller with three free charcoal post filters and an additional year warranty. 

For more information or to have your water distiller repaired, call West Bend at (800) 377-3038 anytime. 

May 13, 2004
Hyundai and Kia are recalling nearly half a million passenger cars in the United States because of problems with a valve used to prevent fuel leakage, Hyundai said. The leak could cause a fire in the event of a collision, the company said.

Hyundai said they will issue recalls for 264,000 EF Sonatas, Elantras, Grandeur XG350, and Tiburon models made in 2002 and 2003 and sold on the U.S. market. Kia will recall 214,000 units, including Optimas sold in the U.S. in 2002 and 2003 and the sub-compact Rios sold in the U.S. from 2001 to 2004.

In addition, Kia will recall its Rio model because of a defective fuel injection system that can break down from the pressure involved in starting the engine.

The recalls come just a few days after Hyundai's hot-selling Sonata became the first Korean car to take the #1 spot in the JD Power rankings of initial quality.

In a news release in Korea, Hyundai said that unlike Korea, where recalled cars are considered defective, a voluntary recall is "an act that earns higher consumer confidence in the United States."

Hyundai said the recall will cost $4 million to $5 million in total. The recalls represented 66 percent and 90.1 percent of Hyundai and Kia's U.S. sales in 2003 respectively, the official said.

July 13, 2004
Federal safety regulators are investigating a series of audio-system fires in 2002-model Chrysler minivans, raising the possibility that more than 400,000 of the vehicles could face a recall.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's inquiry includes Dodge Caravan, Plymouth and Chrysler Voyager and Chrysler Town & Country minivans. Three fires have been reported, including one in which a minivan was destroyed, NHTSA said.

The fires occurred in the summer when the vehicles were being driven and the radio was on, the agency said.

The Caravan is the top-selling minivan in the U.S.

Some 2002 Caravans were recalled on four previous occasions to repair the fuel system, replace the fuel filter, provide child safety-seat information and replace running boards.

April 20, 2004
Kids II is recalling about 225,000 children's vinyl mirror books. The mirror in the books can crack or break, posing a laceration hazard to young children.

Kids II has received 26 reports of the mirror cracking or breaking, including four reports of cuts and one report of a pinched finger.

The recalled picture books are brightly colored, made of flexible vinyl, and contain a plastic mirror on one of the inside pages. The recalled books come in four models: Babys Fun Book, Babys Photo Album, Picture This Vinyl Book, and Carters Imagination Picture Book. The name Kids II is printed on the back cover of each book, except for the Imagination Picture Book which has Carters printed on the front and back covers.

The books were sold at mass merchandise and juvenile specialty stores nationwide from December 2001 through March 2004 for between $4 and $8.

Parents should take the product away from small children immediately and detach and mail the mirror page of the product to Kids II at 1015 Windward Ridge Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30005 for a refund.

Consumer Contact: Call Kids II toll-free at (877) 325-7056 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

December 10, 2004
The Chrysler group is recalling more than 98,000 cars and SUVs because of problems that could cause either engine compartment fires or crashes, federal safety regulators said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said vehicles affected by the recalls included 71,763 Dodge Durango SUVs from the 2004 model year, which have battery cables that can abrade and potentially trigger a short circuit or underhood fire.

NHTSA said Chrysler was also recalling 26,354 Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus mid-sized cars from the 2005 model year, because their right steering knuckles can crack and separate from the control arm, possibly resulting in a crash.

9 de septiembre del 2004
La Comisin para la Seguridad de los Productos de Consumo de los Estados Unidos (CPSC) en cooperacin con el fabricante mencionado a continuacin, anuncian el da de hoy, la retirada del mercado de los siguientes productos de consumo. Los consumidores deben dejar de usar los productos inmediatamente, a menos que se indique lo contrario.

Nombre del producto: Super Soaker Monster Rocket

Unidades: 230,000 aproximadamente

Peligro: La tapa del tanque de agua puede dispararse forzosa e inesperadamente al desatornillarla del tanque rpidamente, representndole un peligro de sufrir lesiones de impacto a usuarios o espectadores. Adicionalmente, si el cohete no es lanzado completamente, la parte trasera puede golpear al usuario o al espectador al descender, representando un peligro de lesin.

Incidentes/Lesiones: Hasbro ha recibido cuatro reportes de tapas que se han disparado inesperadamente del cohete, resultando en tres lesiones, incluyendo una leve conmocin cerebral y una cortadura que requiri puntadas. Hasbro ha recibido adems, cuatro reportes de nios que han sido golpeados por el cohete descendiendo, incluyendo tres cortaduras que requirieron puntadas.

Descripcin: El Super Soaker Monster Rocket (nombre en ingls) est compuesto por un cohete inflable de 7 pies de altura hecho de mylar (capa de polister) y una seccin de la aleta hecha de plstico y hule espuma. La base de lanzamiento del cohete es azul y anaranjada y tiene un tanque de presin para el agua sujeto a una de las patas de la base. El tanque de tapa anaranjada, est conectado al mecanismo de la bomba el cual utiliza la presin del aire y del agua para lanzar el cohete. Este juguete tiene las palabras Monster Rocket impresas en el cuerpo del cohete.

De venta en: ToysR Us, Wal-Mart, Target, KB Toys y otras tiendas de juguetes en toda la nacin vendieron los cohetes de enero 2004 hasta agosto 200 por un costo aproximado de $30. .

Remedio: Los consumidores deben dejar de usar los cohetes inmediatamente y llamar a Hasbro para poder recibir un artculo sustitutivo de valor similar.

Contacto para el Consumidor: Los consumidores deben llamar gratuitamente a Hasbro, Inc. al (866) 487-4737, o visitar la pgina Web de la compaa a www.supersoaker.com.

April 15, 2004
American Honda Motor Co is recalling some 600,000 minivans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) sold in the United States and Canada due to potential transmission defects.

Honda said it has received no reports of deaths or injuries due to the defect. The company said insufficient lubrication could lead to heat build-up and broken gears in the transmission. In rare instances, gear breakage could lock up the transmission.

The company said it has found 10 cases in which the transmission failed. All were vehicles with high mileage.

Subject to free inspection and repair are 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey minivans, 2003-2004 Honda Pilot SUVs and 2001-2002 Acura MDX SUVs.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2000 -- Facing a growing swarm of lawsuits, Bridgestone/Firestone today announced that it will replace free of charge about 6.5 million tires sold as standard equipment on Ford Explorers and other sport utility vehicles.

Meanwhile, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is continuing its investigation and may order additional actions. There have been at least 46 reported deaths and hundreds of injuries in accidents involving the 15-inch tires.

The recall covers the P235/75R15 ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires.

Bridgestone/Firestone has been moving quickly to try to settle more than 100 lawsuits filed by motorists and their passengers who were killed or injured in crashes involving the tire. Ford has also been named in many of the lawsuits and has also been trying to settle as many cases as possible.

Both companies have insisted on gag orders as part of their settlements, so the dollar value of the out-of-court agreements isn't known.

It's the largest tire recall in history and is likely to produce more lawsuits, as the extensive publicity alerts consumers who weren't previously aware of the problems with the tire.

December 23, 2004
General Motors is recalling 717,000 minivans because of a problem with the power sliding door. Passengers could hurt their arms or wrists, the automaker said.

Vehicles affected by the recall are Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Montana minivans from the 1997-2005 model years, Oldsmobile Silhouette from the 1997-2004 model years, and Pontiac Trans Sport from the 1997-1999 model years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

GM is recommending that owners do not use the interior door handle of the minivan to open the door, NHTSA said. The driver can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob.

NHTSA said it has received 21 complaints from consumers, including 19 cases of arm or wrist injuries. These include 13 cases of broken bones requiring a cast or surgery.

July 17, 2004
Ford is recalling 899,060 Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans registered in cold-weather states. Defective front springs could break and puncture a tire, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The recall affects 1999, 2000 and 2001 model-year Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans that were sold in 22 northern states, NHTSA said. Salt used on icy roads could lead to corrosion, causing the springs to break.

Ford recently recalled 25,000 2004 model-year Taurus, Mercury Sable and Thunderbird cars due to problems with the front seats, which could rattle or come loose.

Ford also recalled 145,500 F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks, Excursion sport utility vehicles, Crown Victoria police vehicles, and Lincoln Town cars for a variety of defects, including defective axles that could cause wheels to squeak.

March 23, 2004
Audi is recalling 172,866 A6 sports cars and S6 and Allroad Quatro wagons sold in the U.S. to fix a wiring flaw that could start.

Wiring for driver-side headlights on some of the vehicles could cause an electrical short when coming into contact with other materials, potentially triggering a dashboard fire, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The recall affects 1998 through 2004 models.

No injuries related to the wiring flaw have been reported. Audi is to begin notifying customers of the recall in July, NHTSA said.

Jaguar
Ford Motor Co.'s Jaguar is recalling 1,142 of its 2004 XJ sports cars to repair possible defects in passenger-side air bags, NHTSA said. Owners are to begin receiving recall notification in April or May.

December 15, 2004

Ford is expanding its recall of 2002 to 2004 Escape and Mazda Tribute SUVs. Some 600,000 vehicles are now being recalled to fix accelerator cables that could prevent the vehicles from returning to idle.

Meanwhile, Ford will eliminate its two biggest SUVs -- the Ford Excursion and the Lincoln Aviator -- after the 2005 model year. Both models have been the targets of environmentalists unhappy with their big appetites for fuel.

The Excursion is apparently gone for good though Ford says the Lincoln Aviator will reportedly be revived as a car-based SUV in 2006. The Excursion will be at least partly replaced by an extended version of the Expedition SUV, according to Automotive News.

August 11, 2004
More safety headaches for General Motors. Federal regulators are stepping up an investigation into faulty rear brake lamps on more than 1.2 million General Motors SUVs.

The probe involves 2002-2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Oldsmobile Bravada and Buick Rainier SUVs, Reuters reported. NHTSA said it has received 687 complaints claiming that rear brake lamps failed to work.

NHTSA said it preliminary evaluation has been escalated to an "engineering analysis," a move that can be the first step in a safety recall.

GM has endured a rash of recalls this year. It has already recalled more vehicles in 2004 than in all of 2003. Last week it recalled 246,000 Saturn VUE SUVs because of problems with the rear suspension.

Also, NHTSA said it is investigating potential cracks in the rims of steel wheels on about 90,000 Crown Victoria police cars and taxis built by Ford. The faulty rims were offered as replacements after a recall in August last year, Reuters added.

December 2, 2004
Toyota is recalling 92,577 Celicas because the running lights are too bright and General Motors is recalling about 1,300 of its new Chevrolet Cobalt coupes because of a headlight problem.

Federal regulators say the Celicas' daytime running lights could be a hazard to oncoming drivers. Celicas from the 2000 and 2001 model years are included in the recall. Dealers will repair the vehicles for free beginning in March, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.

General Motors is recalling 1,378 Cobalt coupes because a headlight bulb shield can loosen or break. Without the shield, the lights cause too much glare. Dealers will install new shields free.

NHTSA has gotten thousands of complaints about headlight glare in the last few years. In October, the it said it has shut down 24 suppliers of kits that allow drivers to install their own high-intensity headlights.

March 10, 2004
Ford is recalling more than 1.3 million Taurus and Sable sedans in two separate actions -- one to fix a faulty brake light and the other to replace an air filter that can catch fire.

Ford said one of the recalls includes about 938,789 Taurus and Sable models for the 2000 through 2003 model years to replace the stop lamp switch and wiring. The company said that a malfunctioning electronic switch may cause stop lamps to become inoperable, or cause them stay on all the time.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has received 61 complaints of the brake lamps failing, including two incidents that resulted in crashes and one that resulted in two injuries. At least 37 of those complaints were addressed as part of a March 2001 recall of 157,000 vehicles.

The second recall involved about 399,926 Taurus and Sable models from the 2003 model year. Those cars have air filters that can catch fire. Ford has received 65 reports of fires.

Owners of affected cars will be notified by mail.

Last week, NHTSA said it opened an investigation into the 1999-2002 model year Ford Windstar minivan after receiving 56 complaints that the power sliding door could open when the vehicle is moving.

August 5, 2004
DaimlerChrysler is recalling 831,000 minivans which could have weak power steering hoses and a small number of Dodge Ram trucks that could have a lose alternator wire.

The affected hose in the minivans can become weak with age and leak power steering fluid, which could start a fire under the hood.

The minivan recall affects 2002, 2003 and 2004 Dodge Caravans and Grand Caravans, and Chrysler's Voyager and Town & Country models equipped with V-6 engines. Owners will receive letters about the problem in September, Chrysler said.

The company is also recalling immediately 2,000 Dodge Rams from 2004 with 4.7 liter engines. An alternator wire in the these trucks can hit a valve, cause a short circuit and pose a fire danger.

July 28, 2004
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is focusing on certain pre-sliced tomatoes sold at Sheetz gas stations as the likely source of a Salmonella outbreak in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Since July 2, 2004, 289 cases of Salmonella have been reported in these states. Many appear to be related to pre-sliced Roma tomatoes purchased at deli counters in Sheetz Gas Stations between July 2nd through July 9th based on epidemiological investigation of the Salmonella cases.

Salmonella is an organism which causes serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.

FDA is working with the Centers for Disease Control, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and other authorities to identify the source of the current outbreak of Salmonella and help prevent any further spread of these outbreaks.

Individuals who believe they may have experienced the same symptoms of illness after consuming sandwiches from this company are urged to contact their local health department.