Recalls in December 2022

Product recalls this year in the U.S. have shattered the record set four years ago -- and the year isn't over yet.

According to Sedgwick, a provider of technical and business information, 1.22 billion units have been involved in recalls in the five industries it tracks.

That breaks the record of 1.20 billion set in 2018 and is a 20-year high.

Increases in the average recall size for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries drove the increase, with the average recall size in both growing by more than 500%.

As the number of products recalled continues to increase, manufacturers face evolving challenges related to regulatory activity, geopolitical issues, supply chain disruptions and an uncertain economic future.

Auto recalls on the rise

Recalls in the auto industry were up 2.9% in the third quarter from the previous three months, although the number of vehicles recalled fell by nearly four million quarter-over-quarter.

ConsumerAffairs recently reported that Ford leads the auto industry in the number of recalls for 2022.

But, according to Grant Feek, CEO of Tred, an online person-to-person used car marketplace, Ford isn't the only company experiencing problems.

“Virtually all car manufacturers face the same challenges as Ford in terms of pressure to move quickly with new model launches, adapt to supply chain limitations, and maximize productivity,” Feek told ConsumerAffairs.

“Quality issues and recall rates vary,” Feek added, “and that’s likely attributable to manufacturing processes and management structures, as well as overall culture.”

Recalls of consumer products were up slightly, although the number of units recalled dropped 19.2% from the previous quarter to 5.43 million.

FDA food and beverage recalls declined more that 18% while USDA food recalls were up slightly.

The year ahead

For the automotive industry, Sedgwick points out, over-the-air (OTA) updates have increased in prevalence, which makes it easier for manufacturers to complete recall requirements.

As far as the consumer product industry goes, Sedgwick points out that the FTC is leading the charge to protect consumers’ ‘right to repair,’ acting against companies that it claims are restricting consumers’ choices.

Additionally, there may be changes in store for the food and beverage industry, with some members of Congress indicating a desire to overhaul food regulation by creting a single food safety agency.

All in all, said Sedgwick senior vice president of brand protection Chris Harvey, “regulatory activity did not slow down in the third quarter, and we can expect regulators and lawmakers to continue their close scrutiny of compliance and processes in every industry.”

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company is recalling Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat (PPVD EN Low Fat) prescription wet dog food.

Cans of a different dog food were labeled as PPVD EN Low Fat. While the mislabeled diet is safe to feed, it is not the intended formula for dogs requiring a prescription PPVD EN Low Fat diet.

The mislabeled product contains chunks in gravy, while the correct product looks more like a pate consistency.

There are no reports to date of illness or injury to dogs to date.

The recalled product comes in 13.4 oz cans with UPC 38100 17599, production code 22581159 L4TR6 and “Best Before Sept 2024” date on the bottom of the can.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not feed it to their pets, but discard it. Nestlé Purina will replace it as quickly as possible.

Consumers with question may contact the firm at (800) 579-7733, Monday-Saturday, from 8am - 5pm (CST) or by email at https://www.purina.com/contact-us.

Chrysler is recalling 5,834 model year 2022 Dodge Chargers and Durangos.

The shifter assembly was not properly heat-treated, which can prevent it from properly engaging in the "drive" position.

An improperly engaged shifter assembly may slip out of the "drive" position, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the shifter assembly free of charge.

Owners will be notified by mail starting around January 12, 2023.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403.

Chrysler's number for this recall ZB3.

3M Company of St. Paul, Minn., is recalling about 516,900 Scotch TL1302 Thermal Laminators sold in the U.S. and Canada.

A safety feature can malfunction if the laminator overheats, posing a fire hazard.

The company has received nine reports of the laminators catching fire, including three reports of minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves the Scotch thermal laminators that are light gray/white in color with gray accents with the following model numbers: TL1302, TL1302VP, TL1302EF, and TL1302KIT.

The laminators have “Scotch” printed on front.

The laminating slot is approximately 13 inches wide and the machine has a carrying handle on the right side.

The model number and device serial number is on a sticker on the bottom of the laminator. The sticker on all devices includes only the model “number” TL1302 without letters.

The laminators, manufactured in China, were sold at Walmart, Staples, Costco and other stores nationwide and online at Walmart.com, Amazon.com and Staples.com from April 2014, through October 2022, for between $35 and $90.

What to do

Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the recalled laminators and contact 3M for a full refund and instructions on how to properly dispose of the laminator.

Consumers should fill out the online recall registration form. 3M will then email the consumer directly to request additional information and inform consumers of how to properly dispose of the laminator.

Consumers may contact 3M at (800) 772-4337 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, or online at www.scotchbrand.com/3M/en_US/scotch-brand/tl1302-laminator-recall/ for more information.

Audi is recalling 50,883

• model year 2020-2022 Audi S7s, S6 Sedans, A6 Allroads,
• model year 2021-2022 RS7s, RS6 Avants, and
• model year 2019-2022 A7s, & A6 Sedans.

Liquid spilled in the rear seat may penetrate and cause the gateway control module to shut down.

A gateway control module shutdown will suddenly reduce engine power, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will install a protective cover free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 20, 2023.

Owners may contact Audi's customer service at (800) 253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90V2.

Rocky Mountain Pies of Salt Lake City, Utah, is recalling French Silk Pies.

The product may contain almonds, an allergen not declared on the label.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled 31.88 oz product with ink jet code date 2 266 and UPC code 0 41172 81290 9, is packaged in a clear plastic dome and black plastic base with a “Red Button Vintage Creamery” cardboard sleeve.

It was sold in retail stores in Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho

What to do

Customers with an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (801) 233-6660, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 PM (MST).

General Motors is recalling 5,861 model year 2021-2022 Chevrolet 4500HD/5500HD/6500HD trucks.

The hex flange lock nuts used in the suspension and steering joints were improperly heat-treated and may break.

Broken hex flange lock nuts may cause a loss of tension, leading to steering instability, and increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the hex flange lock nuts -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters should go into the mail around January 9, 2023.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N222391080.

JBR Solutions of Metuchen, N.J., is recalling about 51,750 Aduro surge protectors.

The surge protectors contain incorrect polarization and poorly soldered connections, posing shock and fire hazards.

The firm has received one report of incorrect polarization of the surge protector. No injuries or fires have been reported.

This recall involves all Aduro Surge Wall Charging Tower surge protectors with 12 outlets, dual USB ports and are white or black in color.

The Aduro logo is on the center front panel below the two USB ports. Model and SKU numbers AHR-318 (SKU SRG-WT12O2U) or SS-Q1202 (SKU SRG-WT12O2UNV) are printed on a label on the rear of the surge protector.

The surge protectors, manufactured in China, were sold at www.walmart.com, www.woot.com, www.amazon.com, www.aduroproducts.com and www.groupon.com from January 2020, through August 2022, for between $20 and $50.

What to do

​Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled surge protectors and contact JBR Solutions to receive a full refund.

JBR Solutions is contacting known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact JBR Solutions toll-free at (877) 522-3876 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email at productrecall@jbrsol.com or online at https://www.aduroproducts.com/pages/productrecall for more information.

Kia America is recalling 76,918 model year 2023 Sportage SUVs.

The side curtain airbags may have been twisted during installation which can result in improper deployment in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and reinstall the side curtain airbags -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 28, 2022.

Owners may contact Kia customer service at (800) 333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC257.

This is Kia's 22nd recall of 2022 for a total of nearly 1.5 million vehicles.

Kraft Heinz Foods Company of Kirksville, Mo., is recalling approximately 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf.

The product may have been cross-contaminated with under-processed products when it was sliced on the same equipment as a product that had been under-processed; the equipment was not cleaned between runs.

There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following item, produced on October 10, 2022, is being recalled:

• 16-oz. rigid vacuum-packed packages containing “Oscar Mayer Ham & Cheese LOAF” with codes from “07 Feb 2023 20:40 7B” through “07 Feb 2023 22:16 7B” on the label.

The recalled product, bearing establishment number “Est. 537V” inside the USDA mark of inspection, was shipped to distribution centers in Ohio and Virginia, and further distributed for retail sales.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but discard or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact contact the company at (866) 572-3806 or by email at lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com.

Tesla is recalling 29,348 model year 2021-2023 Model X cars.

The restraint control module (RCM) calibration may cause the front passenger airbag to deploy incorrectly in certain low speed crashes.

If the passenger airbag that does not deploy as intended, the risk of in a crash increases.

What to do

The automaker has released an over-the-air (OTA) software update to recalibrate the RCM free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 14, 2023.

Owners may contact Tesla customer service at (877) 798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-22-00-015.

Conair of Stamford, Conn., is recalling about 67,500 Cuisinart Compact Blender & Juice Extractor Combos Model CBJ-450 sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The nut holding the blender blade assembly can loosen and detach from the base when in use, posing a laceration hazard if a consumer comes in contact with a loose blade.

The firm has received three reports of incidents in which the blender blade detached during use. In one incident, the blade perforated the blender container. No injuries are reported.

This recall involves certain Cuisinart compact blender and juice extractor combos with model number CBJ-450.

The model number is printed on the label located on the bottom of the base and on the original packaging.

The blades are silver-colored stainless steel and have a black plastic center hub.

Cuisinart is printed on the front and on the bottom of the compact blender and juice extractor combos.

The blender and juice extractor combos, manufactured in China, were sold at Crate & Barrel and other department, gourmet and specialty stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Macys.com, Kohls.com and other online retailers from November 2021, through August 2022, for about $80.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled blender part of the compact blender and juice extractor combos and contact Conair for a free replacement blade assembly.

Consumers will receive instructions on how to install the replacement blade assembly after discarding the existing blade assembly, and after verifying disposal of the existing blade assembly.

No tools are needed, and the new assembly can be inserted into the unit in the identical manner that the original assembly was in accordance with the operating instructions that the consumer received when the product was purchased.

The juice extractor is unaffected and may continue to be used.

Consumers may contact Cuisinart toll-free at (877) 339-2534 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email at customerservice@cuisinart.com, or online at www.cuisinart.com/recall/CBJ-450 for more information.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 117,445 model year 2017-2019 Ridgeline pickup trucks.

Opening and closing the tailgate may break the rearview camera wiring harness, causing the rearview camera to fail.

A rearview camera that does not work properly can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the rearview camera wiring harness free of charge.

Owner will likely be notified by mail starting January 16, 2023.

Owners may contact Honda's customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6RW.

Target Corporation of Minneapolis, Minn., is recalling about 23,400 Cloud Island 4-Piece Plush Toy Sets.

The tires on the toy vehicles can detach, posing a choking hazard to children.

The company has received four reports of tires detaching from vehicles. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Cloud Island 4-Piece Plush Toy Sets.

The vehicles are a soft, knitted construction and include a blue car, a yellow bus, a red tractor, and a green truck each with a rattle inside.

The vehicles measure approximately 3 inches (H) x 3.5 inches (W) x 6 inches (D).

Item number 030-02-1042 is printed on the fabric tag attached to the bottom each vehicle.

The plush toy sets, manufactured in China, were sold at Target stores nationwide and online at www.target.com from March through August 2022, for about $20.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled plush toys away from young children and return them to any Target store for a full refund, or contact Target to receive a prepaid return label to return the toy set by mail.

Consumers may contact Target at (800) 440-0680 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (CT) daily or online at https://help.target.com/help/targetguesthelpprarticledetail?articleId=ka95d000000sZT6AAM&articleTitle=Cloud+Island+4-Piece+Plush+Toy+Sets&newsSafetyParCat=Product+Safety+%26+Recalls&productRecallCat=Product+recalls&searchQuery=search+help

Consumers may also click the “Product Recalls” tab on Target’s Facebook page for more information.

Audi is recalling 6,076 of the following vehicles:

Model year 2021-2022

• AUDI A8s,
• A6 Allroads,
• E-TRON Quattros

Model year 2022

• S3s,
• RSQ8s,
• RS7s,
• RS6 Avants,
• Q8s,
• Q7s,
• Q3s,
• E-TRON Sportback Quattros,
• S5 Cabriolets,
• E-TRON GTs,
• S5 Sportbacks,
• A7s,
• A6s,
• A5 Sportbacks,
• A5 Cabriolets,
• A4s,
• A4 Allroads,
• A3s,
• S8s,
• SQ7s,
• SQ8s,
• S6s, and
• S4s.

The infotainment main unit may become damaged internally when the vehicle is shut off, resulting in an inoperative rearview camera display the next time the vehicle is started.

An inoperative rearview camera display reduces the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the infotainment main unit free of charge.

Owners will be notified by mail in late December 2022.

Owners may contact Audi's customer service at (800)-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91Ei.

The Laundress of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is recalling about 8 million bottles of The Laundress laundry and household cleaning products.

These products can contain bacteria, including Burkholderia cepacia complex, Klebsiella aerogenes and multiple different species of Pseudomonas.

People with weakened immune systems, external medical devices, and underlying lung conditions who are exposed to the bacteria face a risk of serious infection that may require medical treatment.

The bacteria can enter the body if inhaled, or through the eyes or a break in the skin.

People with healthy immune systems are usually not affected by the bacteria.

The company says it knows of 11 consumers who have reported Pseudomonas infections and is investigating these reports to see if there is any connection to the recalled products.

This recall involves The Laundress laundry detergent, fabric conditioner and other cleaning products, a complete list of which is available at www.TheLaundressRecall.com.

Recalled lot codes begin with a prefix letter F and the last four digits numbered 9354 or less, H and the last four digits numbered 2262 or less, and T and the last four digits numbered 5264 or less.

All products have “The Laundress – New York” printed at the top of the label. The Laundress is recalling all products manufactured at the affected facility through September 2022.

The recalled laundry and household cleaning products, manufactured in the U.S., were sold online at TheLaundress.com, Amazon.com, and additional websites and in stores at The Laundress, Bloomingdale’s, The Container Store, Saks Fifth Avenue, Target, Nordstrom, Jenni Kayne, Kith, Peruvian Connection, N.Peal, Brooklinen, and other major retailers nationwide, through September 2022, for between $8 and $100.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled products.

Consumers who purchased the recalled products on or after January 2021 may request a refund using either a photo of the lot code with their initials and the date written in marker or a receipt or, if purchased through company website, submit their e-mail address for a refund.

Consumers who purchased the recalled products before January 2021 should take a photo of the lot code with their initials and the date written in marker and contact The Laundress for a full refund of the purchase price, with receipt, or of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, without receipt.

After requesting a refund, consumers should dispose of the product by closing the bottle tightly and placing it in household trash. Do not empty the product prior to disposal.

Consumers may contact The Laundress at (800) 681-1915 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, or online at www.TheLaundressRecall.com to begin the reimbursement process.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 14,928 model year 2023 Genesis G80 Electrics, model year 2021-2022 Santa Fe Hybrids and model year 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrids.

The front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment in a crash.

This can can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.

What to do

Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 30, 2022.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 238/011G.

Weis Markets is recalling 108 containers of Weis Quality Sea Salt Caramel Ripple Ice Cream.

The product may contain soy and coconut, allergens not declared on the label.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product, which comes in a 48-oz container with UPC 041497-01288 and a sell by date of 11/08/23, was was produced on 11/08/22, and sold at 197 Weis Markets’ stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Delaware and West Virginia.

What to do

Customers with an allergy or sensitivity to soy and/or coconut who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (866) 999-9347 Monday through Friday, 8am – 5pm (EST).