Watch the Home & Garden page for occasional reports on recalls. To find out about more defective items, go to the U.S. Consumer Product Commission Web site: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/pre
rel.html
and SUZANNE MOORE
Features Editor
PLATTSBURGH — Della Motorsports here has made free repairs to two Sportsman All-Terrain-Vehicles since a recall announced last month.
Hitting a large bump can cause a loss of steering, said Sean Shambo, a sales representative at the dealership, which sells the Polaris Industries vehicles.
Affected models include the 2009 Sportsman XP 550 and XP 550 EPS; 2010 Sportsman 550, X2 550; Touring 550 and Touring 850. Polaris also recalled 2009/2010 Sportsman Touring XP 850 and XP 850 EPS.
"Everyone we've sold them to, we've made aware (of the recall)," Shambo said.
That's a courtesy that just isn't possible for the many recalls issued for a broad spectrum of products, but consumers can keep an eye out for those that might affect them. The U.S. Consumer Product Web site posts recalls monthly, listing everything from vehicles to toys to home-and-garden products, along with specifics about the items and what hazards they could present.
The voluntary ATV recall, for example, involved 19 reported incidents but no injuries.
Here's a sampling of other products listed on the site.
DECEMBER 2009
An Action Team toy dart gun set caused the asphyxiation of an 8-year-old boy who swallowed a dart. Imported by OKK Trading Inc. and distributed by various discount department stores, it was sold December 2006 through March 2008. The toy, recalled voluntarily, can be mailed to OKK Trading Inc. for a $3 refund.
Other voluntarily recalled items posing risks to young children are many types of window shades and roll-up blinds sold by retailers ranging from Walmart, JCPenney, Ace Hardware to Big Lots.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 2006 and December 2009, five children died and 16 nearly strangled after entanglement in Roman shades; roll-up blinds have been blamed for three deaths since 2001.
Remedies to the hazard, says the Web site, can range from repair kits to refunds.
The site also offers tips to keep children safe from the risk offered by window coverings, including keeping cribs and other furniture away from them.
Some recalled items present hazards to all users, not only children. Dollar Tree has issued a recall for a Tool Bench utility knife sold at Dollar Tree and other dollar stores, due to a potential laceration hazard. Management at a local Dollar Tree could not give any information regarding the knife or whether it was sold in the area. The knives, sold until October 2009, can be returned to the store where purchased for a full refund. There was one reported incident for this item.
Scuba diving equipment also made the list. The Cressi Ellipse Black MC5 Regulator, sold between March and August 2009 at authorized dive shops, was found to have a defective pressure gauge; an inaccurate reading poses a drowning hazard.
"Basically, the only way we know how much air we have in our tank is by the reading on the gauge," said Steve Goodrich, a master scuba diving trainer at Terrapin Diving Services LLC in Wilmington. "You have the possibility of running out of air."
He said when purchasers register equipment, manufacturers then have records of those who have purchased their products. Consumers are contacted personally if they have bought defective items.
Goodrich keeps abreast of listings of recalls for scuba diving equipment in diving magazines and through the Professional Association for Diving Instructors (PADI).
"As an instructor, it is a requirement to be a member of PADI," he said.
His shop did not carry the Cressi Ellipse regulator.
JANUARY 2010
Following three reports of short-circuiting, Acer America Corporation has recalled Acer Aspire Notebook Computers with model numbers AS3410, AS3410T, AS3810T, AS3810TG, AS3810TZ and AS3810TZG.
According to a press release on the Consumer Product site, "an internal microphone wire under the palm rest can short circuit and overheat. This poses a potential burn hazard to consumers."
The recall was based on three reported incidents with no injuries.
Radio Shack and Amazon.com are among retailers that sold the China-made computers between June and October of last year. For information, call (866) 695-2237.
Also recalled is the Master Forge Five-Burner Gas Grill, model number L3218, made in China, by Sagittarius Sporting Goods and imported by LG Sourcing Inc. The flexible hose that connects to the LP gas tank can touch the burner box and melt, causing a burn and fire hazard. It was sold at Lowe's stores September through November 2009.
For information, call (800) 444-6742.
Another Dollar Store/discount store item recalled is a military toy figure imported by Jide Trading Inc. that contains levels of lead in its surface paint that exceed federal standards.
No incidents had been reported with the toy, which is a male military figure of about 4 inches high packaged on a blister card with some accessories.
It was sold from November 2008 to April 2009.
And also found defective is the No-Spill 5-gallon Gasoline Can made by No-Spill LLC, of Lenexa, Kan.
Fire and burn hazards were found to exist because the container can leak at the point the plastic collar where can and spout connect. No injuries or incidents were reported.
Sold at lawn-and-garden stores throughout the United States August through November last year, the containers are heavy-duty red plastic. Their date codes, found on the bottom of the can, are AIP09202 through AIP09222, but not all are affected, a press release said.
Contact No-Spill at (877) 928-0049.
And a red plastic dot sewn into "Big Rex and Friends" cloth books imported from China by St. Martin's Press has been found to have high lead levels, which can be toxic if ingested by youngsters.
The book was sold at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Borders and other retailers from May 2004 through October 2009.
Contact St. Martin's Press at (800) 347-9411.
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