By Rita Colorito on September 16, 2011 in
This week's recalls include several items you might own, including certain John Deere lawn tractors, kitchen blenders and fitness bands sold at Target, and 2007/2008 Kia Sorento SUVs. Read on for our weekly roundup, complete with contact information and details on model numbers, along with tips on what action you should take.
Some John Deere lawn tractors require a free repair
John Deere voluntarily recalled several models of lawn tractors because the hardware used to hold the mowers' blade-brake assemblies can break, which can cause the mower blades to spin longer than normal after the power is turned off, posing a laceration hazard. No injuries have been reported to date. The recalled lawn tractors are green with yellow seat and mower deck in model numbers D100, D110, D120, and D130 and various serial numbers. The D100 model has an additional recall alert because the hardware used to hold the brake assembly to the transmission housing can break, potentially causing the brakes to fail, posing an injury hazard due to loss of control. All of these models were sold at John Deere dealers, Lowe's and Home Depot stores nationwide between October 2010 and September 2011. Consumers should contact the John Deere to schedule a free hardware inspection and repair at (800) 537-8233 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Saturday or visit the firm's website.
Note that the John Deere D110, one of the models that requires a free repair, is recommended by ConsumerSearch as a top pick. We've chosen not to rescind our recommendation at this time since the recall issue is a certainly a safety issue, but doesn't affect the performance of the mower, and no injuries have been reported.
Blenders and fitness bands recalled by Target
- Target and Select Brands recalled 304,000 Chefmate 6-Speed Blenders due to laceration hazard because the plastic pitcher can separate from the blade assembly while in operation, exposing the rotating blades. Target and the CPSC have received 11 reports of this, seven of which resulted in serious lacerations to consumers' fingers and hands. The recall affects all Chefmate 6-Speed Blenders, model BL-10 sold in Target stores nationwide from September 2007 to February 2011. Consumers can receive a full refund at any Target store. If you need a replacement, see our report on the best reviewed blenders.
- Target is also recalling 447,000 Embark Resistance Cords and Cord Kits because an attached black plastic ball can unexpectedly detach and injury the user. Target has received three reports where consumers were struck in the eye by the door anchor ball, two of the incidents resulted in permanent vision loss. The resistance cords were sold at Target stores nationwide and Target.com from July 2009 through August 2011. Consumers should remove the door anchor strap before resuming use or contact the company to receive instructions to repair the cords to eliminate the hazard. If you want to discover different types of fitness equipment for your workout, visit our Fitness & Sports Department for everything from yoga videos to dumbells and more.
2007 and 2008 Kia Sorento need an airbag fix
- Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Sorento passenger cars manufactured from June 15, 2006 through November 27, 2007 because the front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat, leaving the adult front passenger unprotected should a frontal collision occur. Kia will update the programming in the Sorento OCS control module at no charge. Owners may contact Kia customer service at (800) 333-4542.
What should you do?
If you own any of these products, check the product code against the specific product codes found on the manufacturer's recall press release, which we have linked to above for each individual recall. For details on these and other recalls, including product recall press releases, how to obtain a refund or manufacturer's recommendations to obtain a fix for your product's problem, the U.S. government maintains an online recall clearinghouse at Recalls.gov for six of its agencies that issue recalls.
For any recalled product, the CPSC recommends consumers stop using it right away. And remember, it's illegal to knowingly resell or attempt to resell any recalled product.
