Recalls of tens of thousands of cars, child car restraints and portable DVD players have been announced in the lead up to the Christmas holiday period, prompting concern for the safety of travellers on the road.
“Travellers are urged to check if they are affected by these recalls and to make sure that they have taken all of the action required under the recall prior to journeying on the roads this Christmas,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Toyota Australia is recalling over 66,000 RAV4 vehicles sold between 2006 and 2011 for repairs because of safety concerns with the rear suspension arms that can lead to loss of control whilst driving.
Almost 9,000 Ford Escape SUV’s sold from 2001 to 2006 and 26,000 Mazda Tributes sold from 2000 to 2007 are also being recalled for repairs because the accelerator may potentially become stuck at full power, also leading to loss of control whilst driving.
Over 200,000 portable DVD players were just recalled because they may overheat and catch fire or explode during use. The recalls cover five Dick Smith 7” and 9” home brand models and an AWA 7” model sold in Big W. The affected units should not be used and were all sold before August of this year.
“Earlier this year, a child was seriously burnt whilst using one of the recalled portable DVD players in the back seat of a car,” Ms Rickard said.
Tens of thousands of anchor brackets supplied with car seats and capsules sold since April of this year, including major brands such as Tomy Australia, IGC Dorel and Como Baby, have also been recalled. The anchor bracket could fail in the event of a collision, increasing the risk of injury to the child. Some of the anchor brackets were sold separately as aftermarket accessories. Affected units can be identified by batch numbers 022 and 023 stamped directly on the product. All other batch numbers are not affected by the recall.
“Parents and carers are also reminded to check that their child car restraints are age-appropriate and properly fitted. Approximately 70 per cent of child restraints are reportedly not installed correctly,” Ms Rickard said.
“The restraint should generally be attached via a top tether strap to an anchor point in the car. The anchor point should not be confused with luggage hooks or other fittings. The seatbelt should also be correctly threaded through the restraint and buckled.
Further information about these recalls, including how to tell if you have one of the affected products and what to do if you find that you do, is available on the Recalls Australia website www.recalls.gov.au.
The suppliers have acted responsibly in recalling these products and consumers should follow the supplier’s instructions for obtaining a repair, refund or replacement and to ensure they have a safe Christmas holiday.
You can also download the free Recalls Australia app, available for both iPhone and Android devices, for information about product recalls in Australia.
For more information about product safety, visit www.productsafety.gov.au, call the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ProductSafetyAU.
You can also find product safety information via the ACCC's Product Safety Facebook Page and YouTube channel ACCC Product Safety.