I’ve gotta go along with Sean when he said (in reporting a similar recall last August) “sometimes I’m glad I don’t own a gas grill.” The manufacturer and importer of the SLG series “Perfect Flame” brand outdoor propane or natural gas grills is voluntarily recalling almost 663,000 of the above-pictured model in the United States and an other 1,700 in Canada. Why?

The firm has received about 40 reports of fires from the burners deteriorating and about 23 reports of the lids catching fire. The firm is aware of one report of an eye injury requiring surgery and 21 incidents of minor burns to the hands, arms, or face.

Ouch!

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If you bought one of the Halloween-themed flashlights pictured above from Target recently, you should “immediately stop using the flashlights and return the product to any Target store for a full refund.” The CPSC reports that these flashlights “can overheat and melt, posing a burn hazard to consumers.” So far the manufacturer has heard of eight such incidents, “including one report of burns to the hand.”

Or hey, better yet, skip the Halloween-themed gear when it comes to the important stuff. If you want to give your kids a flashlight to carry during the yearly loot-fest, why not go with a tried-and-true quality flashlight? Bonus: it’s far less likely to end up in the trash can once we move on to Turkey day and X-Mas.

Halloween Flashlights Recalled Due to Burn Hazard [CPSC]

There are times when I’m very glad I don’t own a gas grill. I’m sure many people use them without issue, but I’ve heard of folks’ houses burning down after faulty shutdowns and any number of other issues after a summer or so of operation. Most of that is hearsay of course, but it seems Fiesta Grills has a real tale of woe with the voluntary recall of around 88,000 of their Blue Ember Gas Grills.

Fiesta has received 161 reports of malfunctions resulting in 9 incidents that produced major burns and one case of temporary hearing loss. The recall states the cause of all this mess is that the gas hose can get too close to the firebox. Once it does, it gets bad.

The recall notice had this to say on what to do if your unit is one of the affected models.

Consumers should immediately stop using the grill and call Fiesta Gas Grills to obtain a free replacement grease pan assembly and instructions for installing the part and the gas tank. The grill should not be used until the new grease pan assembly and the gas tank have been installed correctly. Consumers should also inspect the gas burner hose and regulator, which will be replaced free of charge if there are signs of damage.

Check out the CPSC site for more info on how to identify which grills are included in the recall. And should your grill be one of the guilty parties don’t just ignore the notice and light up anyway. The way this recall reads, it’s only a matter of time.

Recall Information [CPSC.gov]

Apparently owners of the GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer largely ignored the earlier recall last year: reported injuries have still gone up from people continuing to operate the units in question. So Black and Decker reissued the recall.

The notice says Black & Decker had received more than 700 reports of incidents, including 58 reports of injuries since the first recall notice and another 100 reports piled on afterwards. The cause of all the trouble is the Grasshogs spool cap (that’s the cap at the bottom of the trimmer) can come loose and hit you or anyone standing nearby. The injuries, as one might imagine, are lacerations and burns, and coming off a shaft spinning at that kind of speed will put the hurt on anyone – so it’s no joke.

Here’s the lowdown from the CPSC site on identification of faulty units.

The Black & Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmers/Edgers are electric-powered. Trimmer/edgers with date codes 200546 through 200645 (representing manufacture dates of November 14, 2005 through November 6, 2006) are included in this recall. The date code is located on the underside of the trimmer/edger’s handle. Only trimmers with black spool caps are included in the recall. Those with orange spool caps are not included in the recall.

If you happen to own one of the 200,000 Grasshog units, Black & Decker asks you to stop using the trimmer, duh, and contact Black & Decker for a free repair kit.

Black & Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer Recall Notice [CPSC]

The CSPC announced a recall today of about 94,000 Sevylor tow behind tubing kits. It seems the “quick hitch” connector that connects the tube to the boat can snap, “posing serious hazard to users.” Not only may you come unattached from the boat at an inopportune moment, the CSPC notes that the manufacturer “has received one report of an occupant of a boat being struck by a piece of the ‘quick hitch’ still attached to the tow rope.” Doh!

The gear involved in the recall was manufactured between 2005 and 2009, and was sold at retail and department stores around the US. The list is pretty long, so check the link below to the full list and CSPC release if you suspect you might own one.

And watch your head.

Sevylor Tow Behind Recall [CSPC]

That photo above isn’t astroturf. It’s a black leather shag rug. Really. And if you’re one of the 400 people who own one you should report immediately for taste adjustment be aware that importer Chandra Rugs (of Adairsville, Georgia) would like you to call them to return the rug for a full refund. According to the CSPC they don’t meet federal flammability standards and “pos[e] fire and burn hazards to customers.”

Thankfully no one has reported any injuries to date. Check the link below for a full list of rugs and to see the full list of affected rugs with photos. Don’t miss the orange/beige. It’s my favorite.

Leather Shag Rugs Recalled Due To Fire Hazard [CSPC]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a voluntary recall of approximately 94,000 Kidde PI2000 dual sensor smoke alarms. The alarms can be identified by two buttons, “HUSH” and “PUSH AND HOLD TO TEST WEEKLY,” which are located on the front/center of the alarm. The model number and date code are on the back of the smoke alarm. Only date codes 2008 Aug 01 through 2009 May 04 are included in this recall.

An electrostatic discharge during installation can damage the unit, causing it not to warn consumers of a fire.

Recall Information [CPSC.gov]

DeWalt has recalled about 9,000 framing nailers because “the bump action trigger…could have been incorrectly asssembled during production, which would allow the nailer to eject a fastener unexpendedly or cause the trigger lock-off not to function” says the Consumer Product Saftey Commission. The affected nailers are models D51825 and D51850, pictured above.

Thankfully the CSPC has seen no injury reports so far, but if you own one of the nailers they ask that you immediately stop using it and contact DeWalt at 877-437-7181 (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) for instructions on receiving a free replacement bump action trigger.

DeWalt Recalls Framing Nailers Due To Serious Injury Hazard [CSPC]

The CPSC posted this recall of Wagner-brand paint sprayers due to a possible electrical shock hazard if you pry off the on/off switch.  I’d say that was pretty obvious, but I know how serious things like UL ratings for products can be.  The fact that it can happen means they’ll have to fix it.

Wagner says about 35,000 units have the switch in question, which can be “dislodged from the casing, resulting in exposure of electrical connections. This can pose an electrical shock hazard to the consumer.” As yet, no one’s reported any injuries, but Wagner says if you own one of the affected units you should contact them for a free repair.

Check out the CPSC site for more information about this recall.

Wagner Painter Recall [CPSC]

Brave Products seems to be having a bigger issue with their hydraulics than they thought. Their semi-recent recall of a few splitters has been expanded to encompass quite a few more models. The issue is with the splitters’ hydraulic cylinders — defective rod retention causes the seals to leak and the rods to detach.

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True Value Co. of Chicago announced the recall of around 17,000 wheelbarrows recently.  I wondered what could possibly be so dangerous about a wheelbarrow that there would be a national recall — well, apparently, overinflating the tire could cause the wheel’s plastic rim to break, posing an injury to the user.  Wow.

I applaud the effort on True Value’s part, but I think a dose of common sense might be more prudent. Maybe I’m getting a bit cynical here, but back when I was a kid the whole issue would’ve been handled when dad told me not to overinflate the tire on my bike and showed me what was up — ’nuff said.

Instead of a massive recall and all this hassle couldn’t they just say, “Hey, don’t overinflate the tires, ’cause the rim will crack.”  We guess they don’t want a lawyer showing up on their doorstep representing someone with a wicked wheelbarrow injury.  The times we live in are rather amusing when you stop to think about it.

True Value Recalls Wheelbarrows [CPSC Recall]

Rheem recently announced a voluntary recall of around 14,000 units of the Rheem, Ruud, and United Refrigeration oil-fired furnaces. According to Rheem, if the furnace isn’t properly wired the oil burner can continue to operate when the blower shuts off, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall of about 900,000 Toro Power Sweep electric blowers sold by various outlets and distributors.  According to the CPSC and Toro, the blower’s impeller, which is a rotating component on the blower, can break, resulting in pieces of plastic flying out of the blower.  Since pieces of the impeller are most likely not what you intended to blow into the neighbor’s yard, you might want to look at the recall notice.

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The CPSC announced a voluntary recall of the Rapid Reel portable garden-hose-reel carts and wagons.  Rapid Reel has received five reports of tires exploding while being inflated, resulting in lacerations to fingers, arms, and legs from flying pieces of plastic.  The tires in question have a white plastic rim and a steel ball bearing hub or a black plastic bearing hub.

If you own one of the affected units, don’t inflate the tires — you can contact Rapid Reel for free replacement tires.

Exploding Tires Prompt Recall [CPSC]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced a recall of about 24,000 Perfect Flame grills sold exclusively at Lowe’s. According to the CPSC, the four-burner LP gas grills can melt and/or ignite — not exactly the impress-the-guests ending you might desire.

If you own one of the affected grills — check the link below for serial number detail to see if yours is affected — your should immediately stop using the grill, disconnect the propane tanks, and return your grill (sans propane) to any Lowe’s store for a full refund.

Fire & Burn Hazards Prompt Grill Recall [CPSC]
Manufacturer Recall Info [Lucas Innovation]

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced Honda Motor Corporation’s recall of over 20,000 HRX walk-behind lawn mowers. Honda reports that they’ve “received one report of a shield breaking off the lawn mower,” though the accident resulted in no injury.

The recall includes Honda models HRX217(K)2HXA and HRX217(K)2HMA mowers with serial numbers between MAGA-1500001 and 1520532. If you own one of the affected mowers, contact your local Honda Lawn and Garden dealer to schedule a free repair.

Pull the trigger and the drill spins; release the trigger and the drill spins. I can see that being a recall. Bosch advises “Stop using immediately” if you own their hammer drill model 1191VSRK. Even if yours hasn’t malfunctioned yet, you might consider contacting Bosch — and if it starts running as soon as you plug it in, you should absolutely call them.

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