Posts Tagged ‘ Recall ’

Discovering Sonya Lee’s got a Defect – Little People Recall

August 6th, 2010. By AbiK

Fisher-Price is sending out an APB for their Little People Play ‘n Go Campsite. It’s a product recall affecting about 96,000 campsite toys in the US, 14,000 in Canada. The 7-piece Play ‘n Go Campsites—product number R6935—were sold between October 2009 and August 2010, retailing for about $15.

So what—or who—is at issue? Seems the culprit is that little Sonya Lee. But just who is Sonya Lee and why all the fuss?

Here’s what we discovered (they’re big on “discovering” at Little People–see video above; Aaron Neville sings…) on the Fisher Price Little People “Meet the Little People Friends” d-base:

Name: Sonya Lee

Favorite Activity: Taking Care of Animals; Note: Sonya Lee claims to be able to understand what animals “say”. When camping at the Little People Play ‘n Go Campsite, she also enjoys playing guitar by the campfire and roasting unusually large marshmallows.

Favorite Animal: Her kitty, but she “really loves all animals”. Kitty is with Sonya Lee at the Campsite

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Season: Spring

Favorite Food: Carrots

Cohorts: “All the animals”—and has a friend who goes by the name “Squeakles”

Sonya Lee’s been charged with breaking at the waist—into two parts—which can become choking hazards. Thankfully, while there have been eight reports of Sonya Lee breaking, there have been no reports of injury, according to Fisher-Price. No other figures in the Campsite set have been identified as posing a hazard.

For those who may have trouble identifying Sonya Lee, she wears an ID label on the bottom of her feet that says, “Sonya Lee”. She was also last seen—at the campsite—wearing a green sweater with a purple camera around her neck.

If you see Sonya Lee—with a Little People Play ‘n Go Campsite—in your family room, play room, child’s bedroom, bathtub, backyard…really, anywhere, you’re advised to stop using it immediately and to contact Fisher-Price for a free replacement.

Fisher-Price can be contacted at: 800-432-5437.

Tags: Fisher Price, Little People, Recall, Sonya Lee
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Oh Crap! My Lamborghini Murcielago’s been Recalled!

May 25th, 2010. By AbiK

It’s one thing when your Toyota’s recalled. But when your Lamborghini finds itself on a little recall notice, well, this is serious business. At least that’s what my vicariously-living alter-ego—the one that thinks it actually owns a 2007-2008 Lamborghini Murcielago—tells me. After all, it’s just not every day that you hear of a car in the six-figure limited-production class being recalled. (Note, this baby goes for $350,000)

But alas, yes, it is so. As Fox News reported, there seems to be a little bit of a problem with the welds that hold the fuel pumps in place. They could fail under stress. The definition of “stress” would include driving at speeds that violate all local traffic laws within the continental US. And yes, there seems to be a correlation between owners of cars that are capable of going speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour and those very owners feeling the need to push the miles per hour over the 3-digit mark on the speedometer.

Oh, in case the potential outcome of such weld failure hasn’t occured to you yet, that would be a possible fuel leak. Leaking fuel can travel…right to an ignition source. Fuel + Ignition can = Fire. Not a good equation.

There haven’t been any reports yet of accident or injury and according the the Fox report, Lamborghini discovered the problem only during some testing, however the company will be replacing the fuel tanks on all affected Murcielago’s as a precaution. For free–not that the Lamborghini-driving set needs to worry about such minor details.

So, I’m thinking I’ll have my alter-ego call my boss and let him know that I may not be at work for a couple of days—you know, my Murcielago’s in the shop…

Tags: Lamborghini, Murcielago, Recall
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Moms: Board Books a Hazard to Babies, Still

April 8th, 2010. By AbiK

Flashback: 1994. The birth of my friend’s son, Brian. The first born in our circle of friends. Lots of cooing, awe…a Gail Sheehy Passages kind of moment.

Fast forward a few months. My friend calls me to let me know Brian nearly choked to death. She explained in detail the frantic minutes that must’ve felt like hours as she watched Brian’s skin tone fade to pale and then to a bluish tinge. She recounted the finger-sweep actions she took to try to retrieve whatever it was. The mini Heimlich maneuver as she wanted to propel the object out of Brian’s mouth without causing further harm. As I listened it was as if I was reliving the moments with her and yet I was thankful I hadn’t had to live them in the first place. My heart went out to her. (Note, years later, I had to endure the scene with my own child with a hot dog, and it was beyond anything I ever want to witness again.)

The reason? A board book. Those oh-so-sturdy, infant-proof, toddler-proof vehicles to start your child on his lifelong love of reading. And the go-to gift for everyone who wants to give baby the gift that’s always appreciated.

Except, what’s with those edges? Why, at first they seem so…durable. But after several weeks or months (maybe sooner) those edges seem to…separate. And then the reality that, hey, these are basically just cardboard—and what’s cardboard but several layers of paper smushed and glued together—hits you. Along with the reality that, gee, when the cardboard starts to get even the slightest bit wet, it starts to split apart and fray.

Brian had gotten a piece of the cardboard from the book’s corner in his mouth and could not get it out; nor could he swallow it. So he choked on it.

And just how does a board book get wet and begin to come apart in the first place? That would be because it’s in baby’s mouth—not because the bottle or sippy cup fell over.

For those of you who’ve never seen a baby, that’s what baby’s do. They put things in their mouths. Oh—you knew that—forgive me.

SO WHY DON’T THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE BABY BOARD BOOKS KNOW THAT?!?!?!

Brian is now 15. He’s taller than me and it’s hard to imagine that I used to hold him in my arms. What’s harder to imagine though is that still today—fifteen years after I first gained an awareness of the issue—a baby board book has been recalled for a choking hazard.

This time, the defective product is from a reputable company, Gund—and while it’s not due to the cardboard of the book itself, it’s due to the book bindings which use styrofoam as a fill, and one would assume to help attach the cute, little, colorful baby-eye-candy rattling handles on each book.

See, the styrofoam can detach—according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). And it can get in baby’s mouth. Really?

Gund has apparently received three reports of this happening—and thankfully, no injuries have been reported.

The books involved are:

“Animals” (item number 059174)

“Numbers” (item number 059175)

“Colors” (item number 059176)

They were also sold as a three-book set (item number 059173). The name “Gund” and the item number are located on the back of the books. The books measure 4½ inches by 7 inches and were sold in stores in the US and Canada between January 2009 and March 2010.

If you have these books, you can contact Gund for a free replacement. You can call 800-436-3726.

Though at this point, I’m not so sure I’d “Gotta Getta Gund”.

Tags: Baby, Board Books, Child Safety, Gund, Recall
Posted in Defective Products | No Comments »