Volvo recalls over 140K 2001-2005 and 2010 MY vehicles over fuel system issues

Volvo is recalling certain vehicles sold in the US;because the fuel pump can develop cracks in the fuel pump flange when exposed to certain climate conditions, particularly hot climates, over time and in combination with varying fuel quality.

Owners of these models may notice fuel smell and/or a fuel leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

If one has a model number affected by the recall, a dealer will inspect the fuel pump installed and replace it with a part of a modified design - free of charge - starting in January 2010. Owners may call Volvo at 866-637-3774. 

Vehicles affected:
Vehicle Make / Model / Model Year(s):

VOLVO / S60 2001-2004
VOLVO / S80 2002-2005
VOLVO / V70 2001-2004
VOLVO / XC70 2001-2004
VOLVO / XC90 2003-2005

FDA Investigates Radiation Overdose at Hospitals

More than 300 patients may have received an overdose of radiation from a special type of CT scan used to image the brain.

The Food and Drug Administration says the radiation overdoses occurred at three hospitals in Los Angeles and one hospital in Huntsville, Ala. FDA says there could be many more cases at hospitals nationwide as the investigation unfolds.

The scan in question is called a "perfusion CT." After an injection, a brain scan is taken to examine blood vessels. Perfusion CT is typically done to diagnose a stroke or aneurysm.

Patients at the four hospitals who received excess radiation, were exposed to the equivalent of several thousand X-rays instead of the three-eight times the expected radiation dose.

The FDA has sent alerts to hospitals and health care facilities nationwide that perform these specialized CT scans, asking them to double-check the machines in order to assure that they are configured correctly.

They Knew and Failed to..New Report Details Corporations that Skirt Responsibility and Shun Consumer Safety to Save Money

Every day there is another recall or warning of a product that turned out to have design flaws or unexpected problems, for example: a drug with a unanticipated side effect, a toy with a sharp piece that can injure a child, etc. These recalls and warnings are so frequent that consumers are no longer surprised.

However, what would surprise consumers is the fact that sometimes those who are responsible for these dangers know about the problem and do nothing about it. It may be hard to believe that anybody would cover up a products danger and then market that product to the very people it is likely to kill or injure – but that is what happens time and time again.

Last month, at the U.S. Chambers Institute for Legal Reform annual summit – an event dedicated to championing corporate misconduct and evading accountability – a report was released detailing true stories of corporations that knew their products were dangerous, yet failed to protect consumers.

“They Knew and Failed To” details numerous examples of medical devices, prescription drugs, and other consumer products that remained on the market after critical safety concerns had been raised within the company, while using all means necessary to avoid being held accountable for their misconduct.

In one example, police officer Tony Zeppetella of Oceanside, Calif. had paid $313 to “upgrade” his standard bullet proof vest. The Ultima body armor Zeppetella had purchased was widely used by law enforcement, military personnel, and even worn by the President and Mrs. Bush.

Unfortunately, Zeppetella was shot and killed on a routine traffic stop in June 2003, when a bullet penetrated his vest.

Second Chance, the manufacturer, had known as early as 1998 that heat and sunlight caused the material to degrade, making the vests penetrable. Internal corporate memos from 2001 revealed an executive at the company had recommended notifying customers about the products’ defect, saying, “Lives and our credibility are at stake.” It was not until September 2003 that the company eventually recalled 130,000 vests, three months after Zeppetella was shot.

The company had known for FIVE years there were problems with their vests, but failed to notify consumers, putting law enforcement and service members’ lives at risk.

“While most businesses act in good faith to serve their customers and communities, unfortunately some corporations recklessly put lives at risk for the sake of profit,” said American Association for Justice President Anthony Tarricone. “While front groups like the Chamber stage events practically celebrating corporate misconduct, this new report convincingly illustrates the importance of holding wrongdoers accountable.”

To read the full report, click here. For more information, please call 877-MESSALAW.

Toyota to replace 3.8M gas pedals

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will replace accelerator pedals on 3.8 million recalled vehicles in the United States to address problems with the pedals becoming jammed in the floor mat.

As a temporary step, Toyota will have dealers shorten the length of the gas pedals beginning in January while the company develops replacement pedals for their vehicles, the Transportation Department and Toyota said. New pedals will be available beginning in April, and some vehicles will have brake override systems installed as a precaution.

Popular vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, the top-selling passenger car in America, and the Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid, are part of the recall. It includes the 2007-10 model year Camry, 2005-10 Toyota Avalon, 2004-09 Prius, 2005-10 Toyota Tacoma, 2007-10 Toyota Tundra, 2007-10 Lexus ES350 and 2006-10 Lexus IS250/350. 

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, announced the massive recall in late September and told owners to remove the driver's side floor mats to prevent the gas pedal from potentially becoming jammed.

To fix the problem, Toyota and the government said dealers will shorten the length of the accelerator pedal on the recalled vehicles and in some cases remove foam from beneath the carpeting near the pedal to increase the space between the pedal and the floor. They said owners of the ES350, Camry and Avalon would be the first to receive notification because the vehicles are believed to have the highest risk for pedal entrapment.

Toyota plans to install a brake override system on the Camry, Avalon and Lexus ES350, IS350 and IS250 models as an "extra measure of confidence," Toyota and NHTSA said. The brake override system, commonly called a "smart brake," will ensure the vehicle will stop if both the brake and the accelerator pedals are applied simultaneously.

Toyota also plans to make the brake override system standard equipment throughout the Toyota and Lexus lineup starting with January 2010 production of the ES350 and Camry. Most new models will get the equipment by the end of 2010.

Dealers will be instructed on how to modify the pedals before the end of the year and will begin shortening the accelerators in 2010. New replacement pedals are expected to be available for some models beginning in April and will be provided even if the vehicles have already received a modified pedal under the recall.

The automaker and government regulators have been discussing a potential fix for several weeks. In late September, Toyota announced the recall and told owners to remove driver's side floor mats and not replace them until the company had determined a remedy for the problem. The automaker said unhooked floor mats or replacement mats stacked on top of the originals could lead to stuck accelerators.

In early November, Toyota issued a statement saying NHTSA had confirmed "that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver's floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured." But in a rare rebuke, NHTSA accused Toyota of releasing misleading information about the recall, saying removing the mats did not "correct the underlying defect." Toyota said it was not the company's intention to mislead anyone.

If a vehicle accelerator pedal becomes stuck and a driver can't dislodge it, Toyota advises drivers to press on the brake with both feet and then shift the vehicle into neutral, which will disengage the transmission. The automaker says drivers should continue braking until the vehicle comes to a stop.

A driver can also try shutting off the engine or turning the key to the "ACC" position on the ignition. Drivers will not lose control of the steering or the brakes. But once the vehicle is turned off the driver won't have the benefit of power brakes or power steering. For vehicles that have a start/stop button for the engine, drivers are advised to hold the button for three seconds to turn it off.

For more information, owners can contact Toyota at 800-331-4331 or the NHTSA hot line at 888-327-4236

Elmo and a dinosaur make bad toy list

So far this holiday season, five products made the list for containing lead or "potentially toxic chemicals."

This list includes a Touch and Feel Cloth Book called "Big Rex and Friends" from Priddy Books. The PIRG (Public Interest Research Groups) said that a red dot on one of the pages contains lead. Likewise, a metal charm that comes with the Alligator Cell Phone from the Claire's retail chain also contains lead, the organization said.

The PIRG also identified a Collector's Series toy duck that has lead paint on its face and body. The organization said that the manufacturer of this toy was unknown, but that it was purchased at a Dollar Tree store.

Two toys were identified containing "potentially toxic" chemicals known as phthalates, including Pretty Princess Puppy Purse from Claire's and the Elmo Lunch Bag from Sassy.

"Choking is obviously the biggest issue," said Jonathan Samet, publisher of thetoyinsider.com, an industry observer. He said that he didn't want to minimize PIRG's warnings, but the noise warnings did not concern him as much as choking and lead.

The PIRG also listed several toys deemed "excessively loud" at close range, meaning that they match or exceed 85 decibels within 25 centimeters of the toy, presenting a risk of hearing loss.

The organization pegged the loud toys as the Kota and Pals Stompers Triceratops from Playskool, the Secret Saturdays Cryptid Claw from Mattel, the Laugh & Learn Learning Phone from Fisher Price and the Bright Lights Phone from VTech.

Infant Entrapment and Suffocation Prompts Stork Craft to Recall More Than 2.1 Million Drop-Side Cribs

More than 2.1 million drop-side cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing are being recalled, the biggest crib recall in U.S history, following reports of four infant suffocations.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said late Monday the recall involves 1.2 million cribs in the United States and almost 1 million in Canada, where Stork Craft is based. Sales of the cribs being recalled go back to 1993.

 

The CPSC said it is aware of four infants who suffocated in the drop-side cribs, which have a side that moves up and down to allow parents to lift children from the cribs more easily. The agency also said there have been 110 incidents of drop-sides detaching from the cribs.

 

The Stork Craft cribs have had problems with their hardware, which can break, deform or become missing after years. CPSC said there can also be problems with assembly mistakes by the crib owner. These problems can cause the drop-side to detach, creating a dangerous space between the drop-side and the crib mattress, where a child can become trapped.

 

This is the second big recall this year for the company. It recalled about 500,000 cribs in January because of problems with the metal brackets that support the mattress.

Major retailers in the United States and Canada sold the recalled cribs including BJ's Wholesale Club, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Meijer, Sears, USA Baby, and Wal-Mart stores and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com, Target.com, and Walmart.com from January 1993 through October 2009 for between $100 and $400.

In the Stork Craft recall, the manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin, and the firm's name, address and contact information are located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The firm's insignia "storkcraft baby" or "storkling" is inscribed on the drop-side teething rail of some cribs.

For more information contact 1-877 MESSALAW.

Vicks nasal spray recalled after bacteria found

The Procter & Gamble Co. has recalled some 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after the company found bacteria in samples during routine testing.

The product has been recalled voluntarily after small amounts of the B. cepacia bacteria was found at the German plant where it's made. No illnesses have been reported yet, but the bacteria could harm people with chronic lung problems or weakened immune systems.

Three lots of the spray sent to stores in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom are being recalled.

The bacteria were found in a small amount of the U.S. lot after it shipped, and the company is testing samples from the U.K. and German lots produced from the same raw material mixture in Gross Gerau, Germany.

P&G says consumers should not use the medication.

The U.S. Centers for Disease control says on its Web site that the bacteria pose "little medical risk to healthy people."

Lot numbers are on both outer cartons and the bottles inside. The numbers of the affected lots are:

In the U.S.: 9239028831

In the U.K.: 9224028832

In Germany: 9224028833