Recalls in January 1970

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2002 -- Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. is voluntarily recalling about 18,000 Power Plus automotive chargers that plug into automotive cigarette lighters. The automotive chargers are often used on job sites to charge power tool batteries. When used under low voltage conditions, the chargers can overheat. This poses a fire hazard.

The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC and Milwaukee Electric Tool have received six reports of the chargers overheating. No injuries or property damage have been reported involving these chargers.

The recall includes Power Plus automotive chargers and Impact wrench kits containing these chargers. A label on the front of the charger reads, "Milwaukee...POWER-PLUS 9.6 Volt - 18 Volt AUTOMOTIVE CHARGERS." A nameplate on the back of the charger lists the catalog number. Impact wrench kits containing these chargers have serial numbers within the range listed below. The serial number is located on the side of the Impact wrench kit.

Home centers, hardware stores and industrial distributors sold these chargers and wrench kits containing these chargers nationwide from March 2000 through April 2002. The chargers sold for about $115. The Impact wrench kits containing these chargers sold for about $325.

Consumers should stop using the chargers immediately and return them to their nearest Milwaukee factory service center or authorized power tool service center. Consumers can choose from three options, an exchange for a 12, 14.4 or 18 volt battery pack, a replacement charger or a refund. For further details about options, consumers can contact Milwaukee Electric Tool at (800) 414-6527 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. Consumers can locate the nearest service center by visiting the firm's web site at www.heavydutytool.com

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2002 -- Pottery Barn Kids is voluntarily recalling about 3,800 Star Clacker wooden toys and about 3,000 Ride-On Duck wooden riding toys.

The wooden peg can come off of the Star Clacker toy and pose a choking hazard. The Ride-On Duck's wheel cap can break, allowing the wheel to come off and release small parts, also presenting a choking hazard to young children. The Star Clacker wooden toys, also does not comply with the Federal Hazardous Substance Act for design and construction of baby rattles, due to the handle length.

Pottery Barn Kids has received one report of a wheel coming off of the Ride-on Duck toy. No injuries have been reported for either product. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The clackers are made of three wooden star shapes, tied together, with the two outside stars painted red, white or blue. The center star and handle are made of natural wood. The toys measure about 6-inches long. The handle has a gold "Made in China" label and a white label reading, "Intended for Children over 6 months of Age."

The Ride-On Duck is a yellow wooden duck-shaped toy with orange wheels and bill that measures 12-inches high by 20-inches long. It has a gold "Made in China" label on the bottom.

Pottery Barn Kids stores nationwide sold the Star Clacker toys from April 2002 through July 2002 for about $6. Pottery Barn Kids stores nationwide, catalogs and Internet site sold the Ride-On Duck toys from September 2001 through June 2002 for about $49.

Consumers should take the recalled toys away from young children immediately and return the toys to the store where they were purchased for a refund or replacement toy. For additional information, contact Pottery Barn Kids at (866) 428-6467 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Saturday. Consumers can also visit the firm's web site at www.potterybarnkids.com.

There have been at least three reports of serious injuries to riders, including contusions, bruises and lacerations to the mouth, caused by the front suspension forks breaking.

Hsin Lung Accessory, of Taiwan, is recalling all bicycle suspension forks with model number HSF-350. The fork's model number is on the right tube of the fork. The forks are black, and have "Zoom" written on them.

These forks were installed exclusively on Huffy Bicycle Company "Verdict" full-suspension mountain bikes with serial numbers B98J, B98K, B98L and B99A. The bicycle serial number is on the area where the crank is attached to the frame.

Mass merchandise stores, such as Shopko, Service Merchandise, Pamida and TRU*SERV, sold these bicycles nationwide from January 1999 to June 1999 for about $200.

Consumer should immediately stop riding the bicycles. Hsin Lung Accessory is replacing the bicycle forks with new and improved front suspension forks at no charge. To arrange to get a replacement fork installed and for more information, consumers should call Huffy Bicycles at (800) 872-2453 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday.

The recall was announced in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2000 --
The Food and Drug Administration warns that several brands of five-layer dips are potentially contaminated with contagious bacteria that causes serious digestive disorders.

The FDA says consumers should be alert for dips sold under the brand names Senor Felix's, Trader Joe's, Delicioso, and The Carryout Café because they have the potential to be contaminated with Shigella sonnei bacteria.

The organism causes a form of bacterial dysentery which can cause bloody diarrhea, cramps, fever, nausea and vomiting and can possibly lead to hospitalization. Shigella infection is serious and very contagious, but can be treated though prompt medical attention.

The recalled five-layer dips contain layers of black or pinto beans, salsa, guacamole, nacho cheese and sour cream, among other ingredients. They were distributed nationwide in retail stores and can be identified with the following brand names:

• Senor Felix's Five Layered Party Dip

• Delicioso 5 Layer Dip

• Trader Joe's Five Layered Fiesta Dip

• The Carryout Café Mexican Fiesta Party Dip 5 Layer

  
  

All of the above products were manufactured by Senor Felix's Gourmet Mexican Foods Inc., of Baldwin Park, Calif.

To date at least 49 illnesses (five hospitalizations) have been reported.

These products were recalled voluntarily (with an accompanying press release) by the company on January 22, after they were linked to shigellosis outbreaks in several western states.

FDA is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to track the affected products and to identify the cause of the problem.

Consumers who have purchased any of the affected 5 layer dips should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those who have consumed these recalled products and have experienced symptoms of shigellosis should seek medical attention. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-807-7335.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 1999 -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Universal Candle Co., of China, is voluntarily recalling about 21,000 Halloween pumpkin tealight candles sold at Bath & Body Works. The candles can burn with a high flame, presenting fire and burn hazards to consumers.

A Bath & Body Works store received one report of a candle generating a high flame. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled tealight candle has an orange pumpkin face, with yellow eyes, nose and mouth and a green stem. Purple outlines the features on the pumpkin face. The wick is placed above the pumpkin's nose. 

The candle is contained in an aluminum base. A label on the base of the candle reads in part, "Specially made in China for Bath & Body Works." Bath & Body Works stores nationwide sold the candles throughout September 1999 for about $1.

Consumers should stop using the candles immediately, and return the candles to any Bath & Body Works store for a full refund and a $10 gift certificate per customer. For more information, consumers should call Bath & Body Works toll-free at (800) 395-1001 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2000 -- ATICO International USA Inc., of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is recalling about 14,000 lighthouse-shaped candle holders because the wooden top can ignite, presenting a fire hazard.

There have been three reports of candle holders igniting. No injuries have been reported.

The candle holders are made of wood (painted white or natural) with a glass and metal top. They measure about 11 inches high and 5 inches wide. A tealight candle is placed in the top of the lighthouse and can be seen burning through the glass windows. There is no identifying information on the product. A sticker on the bottom of the candleholder reads, "Made in China." Rite Aid stores nationwide sold the candle holders from January through March 2000 for about $10.

Consumers should stop using the candle holders immediately and return the product to the nearest Rite Aid for a full refund. For questions, consumers should call ATICO International USA Inc. at (800) 645-3867 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Consumers also can visit Rite Aid's web site.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2000 -- LeapFrog, a division of Knowledge Kids Enterprises Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 500,000 "Alphabet Pal" electronic pull toys. The toy has a two-part, red plastic connector on the pull string designed to separate under tension. The plastic pieces can detach from the string when the connector is pulled apart and could pose a choking hazard to young children.

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

LeapFrog has received nine reports of the red plastic connector detaching. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should cut the red plastic string connector off of these toys immediately, or return it to the firm to receive a free replacement toy without a plastic connector.

Toys without plastic connectors on the pull-string are not part of this recall.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2000 -- DiaTech USA and Derby USA are recalling about 5,000 bicycles for repair. The disc brakes on these bicycles can stick and prevent the brake pads from returning to the proper position when the brake lever is released. This can cause the rider to lose control and crash.

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

DiaTech USA, the manufacturer of the brakes, and Derby USA, the importer and distributor, have received one report of a consumer who lost control of his bicycle when the brakes failed to disengage, and suffered broken ribs.

These are 2000 model bicycles with the following brands and models:

April 6, 2001
General Motors has issued an urgent recall for 6,000 of its new 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazers, GMC Envoys and Oldsmobile Bravadas. A lower control arm in the steering system may break because of defective parts, possibly causing loss of control, GM said.

Owners are being advised to park their trucks immediately. Dealers were asked to tow, not drive, the SUVs in for service and to provide a loaner car while the problem is fixed.

Dealers were notified of the problem yesterday. They were asked to contact new owners immediately and not to sell any new vehicles until they are repaired. Prospective buyers should not even be allowed to take a test drive, the company announcement said.

The defective part was provided by an outside supplier, GM said. The Moraine, Ohio, plant where the new trucks are made is being shut down until April 16 while the problem is resolved. The company said 30,000 of the new SUVs have been manufactured but only 6,000 have been sold in North America.

Ironically, the new GM models are designed to be much safer than earlier SUVs. They are built with a lower center of gravity, a longer wheelbase and an engine that is positioned lower in the frame. Those changes are intended to reduce the chance of a roll-over, the problem that has plagued other SUV models.

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2000 -- Target Corp. is voluntarily recalling about 16,000 glass and metal oil burning candles because the glass can shatter, creating a fire hazard.

Target has received six reports of these candles shattering, including three reports of minor property damage. There have been no injuries reported.

The candles come in two shapes: rectangular and circular. The glass portion of the candle is supported by a metal black metal frame. There are two glass pieces that stack on top of each other. The lower glass piece has a reservoir for oil. The top glass piece has an opening for a wick. The circular candle measures 6.25 inches in diameter and the rectangular candle measures 5.5 inches by 13.5 inches. These candles were made in China. Target stores sold them nationwide from January 2000 through May 2000. The circular candles sold for $8 and the rectangular candles sold for $15.

Consumers should stop using these candles immediately and return them to the nearest Target store for a refund. For additional information, consumers should call Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2002 --The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a safety recall of Britax Child Safety, Inc., convertible child restraints.

The recall involves 4,959 Advantage convertible child restraints, Model E9022, with production dates from March 5 to July 26, 2001. The date of manufacture is located on the label on the side of the restraint.

According to NHTSA, the tether brackets installed during the affected period may allow one of the tether attachments to separate from the seat shell in a vehicle crash. Separation of one of the tether brackets from the seat shell could allow increased head movement. These seats do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 213, "Child Restraint Systems."

Jan. 14, 2003

American Power Conversion Corporation (APC) is voluntarily recalling about 900,000 back-up power supply devices. These devices are primarily used to protect computers in case of a power failure. The power supply device can fail, causing the unit to overheat, which may pose a fire hazard to consumers.

APC has received six reports of units overheating resulting in the melting of the unit's outer casing and three reports of minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

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

The recalled Back-UPS CS Uninterruptible Power Supply devices include the Back-UPS CS350 and the Back-UPS CS 500 models. The model number can be found on the front of the unit, along with the words, "Back-UPS CS" and "APC." In addition, one of the following numbers shows up on the bar code label located on the bottom of the unit: BK350, BK500, BK500BLK. The recalled power supply devices also have one of the following serial numbers - AB0048 through AB0251, BB0104 through BB0251, and JB0125 through JB0251 - which can be found on the bottom of the unit. Units with an "R" at the end of the serial number within the above ranges are not part of this recall.

Retailers, computer and electrical distributors, and catalogs nationwide sold the power supply devices from November 2000 through December 2002 for between $70 and $130.

Consumers should immediately stop using the power supply devices by turning off the power to all connected equipment, turning the Back- UPS CS off, and then unplugging it from the electrical outlet. To obtain a free replacement unit, consumers should contact the company at (866) APC-RELY (272-7359) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to the company's website at www.apc.com/rely

July 24, 2003

Black & Decker Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 265,000 18-volt cordless drill/drivers. The drill's switch can malfunction and overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Black & Decker has received twenty reports of melting, smoking, or fires in the drills, including two minor burn injuries.

The recalled 18-volt, cordless drill/drivers are orange or jade and have the words, "Black & Decker" printed on the body of the drill. The drill/drivers have the following model numbers and date codes:

December 2, 2003

Two-piece fleece pant set with long waist drawstrings on the jacket are being recalled. Several manufacturers and distributors sold the pant sets, mostly through catalog sales.

The waist drawstring on jacket is longer than 3 inches when the waist is expanded to its fullest width, and there are toggles and knots at the end of the un-tacked drawstring. This can cause the drawstring to catch on protrusions (such as bus doors or handles), potentially causing injury or death if the person is dragged by the vehicle.

The pant sets were distributed by the Lakeside Collection, abcDistributing and LTD Commodities,

The two-piece fleece pant set is pink and royal blue and comes in sizes 4 to 6X.

The pant sets were sold at catalog sales from August 2003 to October 2003 for about $12.

Remedy: Pull the waist drawstrings out of the jacket.

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

December 23, 2003

John Deere & Co. is recalling about 4,000 Ten Series compact utility tractors because of a transmission problem that could prevent the transmission from returning to neutral after the pedals are released, allowing the machine to unexpectedly move forward.

The company said it has received several reports of such incidents but knows of no injuries.

The following model and serial numbers can be found on the serial number plate on the tractor frame:

The tractors were sold by authorized John Deere dealers nationwide and in Canada from April 2001 to August 2003 for between $18,000 and $27,000.

Consumers should stop using their tractors immediately and contact a John Deere dealer for a free repair.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact John Deere?s Customer Communications Center on (800) 537-8233, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am until 6:00 pm (Eastern Time), Saturday, 9:00 am until 3:00 pm, or at the John Deere web site at www.johndeere.com

April 8, 2003

American Promotional Events Inc., doing business as TNT, is voluntarily recalling about 4,000 Party Poppers. The Party Popper is a rocket-shaped device that shoots into the air when the string is pulled.

The cone-shaped top can pop off rapidly, and can hit and injure both children and adults.

CPSC and TNT have not received any reports of incidents involving the Party Poppers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

The recalled Party Poppers are packaged in units of four. The Party Poppers were sold in clear cellophane wrappers with blue, yellow and red cardboard headers. The Party Poppers and the packaging are labeled "TNT BIG FUN PARTY POPPER." The Party Poppers are shaped like rockets with 3 1/2-inch wooden support sticks.

Wal-Mart stores sold these Party Poppers nationwide from January 2003 through March 2003 for about $2.

Consumer should stop using these Party Poppers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information, consumers can contact TNT toll-free at (800) 243-1189 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Feb. 20, 2003

Fireworks of Alabama, Inc. is voluntarily recalling about 72,000 boxes of bamboo stick sparklers. The sparklers' bamboo-stick handles can catch fire, burn and disintegrate and emit burning fragments during use. These sparklers present a fire hazard and a risk of burn injury.

CPSC and Fireworks of Alabama have not received any reports of injuries associated with these bamboo stick sparklers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.

The recalled sparklers are packaged in a multicolored cardboard box and sold with six sparklers per box. The sparklers measure about 7- inches long. Labels on the packaging read in part "Bamboo Stick Color Sparklers," "6 PIECES," and "MADE IN CHINA." Only bamboo sparklers with "LB-N011-7" printed on the packaging are included in the recall.

Variety stores sold these sparklers nationwide from June 2002 through December 2002 for about $2 a box.

Consumers should stop using these sparklers immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers can contact Fireworks of Alabama, Inc. at (800) 289-5569 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.