SUBARU & BMW AIRBAGS THAT EXPLODE
Inrecall scandal that returns every couple weeks, Subaru has issued a recall for almost half a million vehicles due to malfunctions or defects with the vehicle’s airbag systems that when exposed to long-term humidity and changing temperatures could cause “the front passenger airbag inflator to explode. The affected vehicles include nearly every model of Subaru dating back to at least 2010. While there have been countless injuries and even some deaths due to previous air bag recalls, Subaru has fortunately reported no injuries. As usual, Subaru is notifying affected owners to give free replacement airbag systems.
This issue was also featured by European automotive giant BMW in a recall reported this week for its 2015 model X1 xDrive and sDrive vehicles due to airbag inflators that “may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
SRAM BICYCLE BRAKES THAT FAIL
Chicago-based bicycle component manufacturer SRAM issued recalls this week for around 7,000 of its “i-Motion 3-speed internal gear hubs with a coaster brake installed on bikes with no redundant breaking system.” The recall was issued due to the discovery that the gear hub’s breaks can randomly fail, posing serious crash and injury to the rider. The devices were sold in bicycle retailers nationwide between April 2010 and December 2018. So far, SRAM has received five reports of the brakes failing, with one resulting in injury to the rider. The company is asking consumers to immediately stop using bicycles featuring the gear hubs and contact SRAM to receive a partial refund.
TARGET STROLLERS
The retail giant Target issued a nationwide recall of over 20 models of tricycle strollers for children sold in stores and online for over a decade due to defective parking brakes installed in its children tricycle stroller products. Many of these models “lacked a tether strap or mandatory warnings required under various consumer protection and product safety laws. While fortunately no injuries have been reported, Target is asking consumers to return the affected strollers to their closest location for full or partial refund.
This week, too, Target recalled the Cat & Jack Unicorn “Chiara” Boots due to a possible choking hazard if the unicorn horn detaches from the boot, “creating a choking hazard to children. Target is asking consumers to contact the company to get a full refund.
MACLEODS PHARMACEUTICAL LOSARTAN GENERIC BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINE
In a seemingly endless run of blood pressures recalled from stores and pharmacies these past two years, MacLeods Pharmaceutical’s recalls its own version of Losartan, a blood pressure and heart health medication due to the presence of NDEA, a known carcinogen. As with nearly all of the recalls of blood pressure medications recently, the drugs were manufactured in unregulated factories in India or China. This medication was produced in India. As with the other warnings from other pharmaceutical companies issuing recalls on blood pressure medications, MacLeods told patients to keep taking the medication because stopping would be much more dangerous.
