A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence (which can cause costly legal penalties) and to improve or avoid damage to publicity. Recalls are costly to a company because they often entail replacing the recalled product or paying for damages caused in use, albeit possibly less costly than indirect cost following damages to brand name and reduced trust in the manufacturer. In tort law, the right to sue and recover damages from another on the basis of negligence, as opposed to numerous other tort theories discussed elsewhere, is based upon proving that the defendant failed to use ordinary care, that is,that degree of care for the protection of the person... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up publicity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

A good example is the recent recall of over 500,000 Toyota Tundra pickup trucks. The Tundra had a steering problem which resulted in several accidents, forcing the manufacturer to attempt to right the problem.

A country's consumer protection laws will have specific requirements in regard to product recalls. Such regulations may include how much of the cost the maker will have to bear, situations in which a recall is compulsory (usually because the risk is big enough), or penalties for failure to recall. The firm may also initiate a recall voluntarily, perhaps subject to the same regulations as if the recall were compulsory. In the case of a compulsory recall, consumers who fail to dispose of it or return it to the manufacturer for replacement or refund could be fined for as much as $5000. Consumer protection is a form of government regulation which protects the interests of consumers. ...

Product defect awareness

Consumer organisations examine products and warn the public of possible defects that diminish a product's functional value or safety. On the other hand, a class of activists known as muckrakers may use grassroot tactics to bring attention to corporate transgressions, including writing to newspapers and posting information on product defects, threatening the maker's publicity if the faults are not put right. A famous example is Unsafe at Any Speed, written by Ralph Nader, which targeted GM's Chevrolet Corvair sports car that had a faulty rear suspension causing frequent skidding and occasional flipping. Consumer organizations are advocacy groups that seek to protect people from corporate abuse. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. ... McClures Magazine (cover, Jan, 1901) published many early muckraking articles. ... A political lobby movement organized by a network of citizens. ... Exhibit featuring the book at Henry Ford Museum, Detroit Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile by Ralph Nader, published in 1965, is a book detailing his claims of resistance by car manufacturers to the introduction of safety features, like seat belts, and their general... Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (born February 27, 1934), is an American attorney and political activist. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is an American automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... Corvair convertible The Chevrolet Corvair was an automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1960 to 1969. ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ...

Information on recalls

Being aware of product recalls is important for the safety of anyone who comes in contact with the product and perhaps for the enjoyment of a product's full value. Recalls are not always easy to learn about, and companies do not always publicize a recall in an effort to limit the cost of replacing the product.

Common Sources of Recall Information

• Grocery Stores (listings)
• Mailings
• News (television/print)
• Internet, particularly consumer groups' websites

General Steps to a Product Recall

A product recall usually involves the following steps, which may differ according to local laws:

• Maker or dealer notifies the authorities responsible of their intention to recall a product. Consumer hotlines or other communication channels are established. The scope of the recall, that is, which serial numbers or batch numbers etc. are recalled, is often specified.
• Product recall announcements are released on the respective government agency's website (if applicable), as well as in paid notices in the metropolitan daily newspapers. In some circumstances, heightened publicity will also result in news television reports advising of the recall.
• When a consumer group learns of a recall it will also notify the public by various means.
• Typically, the consumer is advised to return the goods, regardless of condition, to the seller for a full refund or modification.
• Avenues for possible consumer compensation will vary depending on the specific laws governing consumer trade protection and the cause of recall.

In telecommunication, a hotline (also called an automatic signaling service or off-hook service) is a point-to-point communications link in which a call is automatically directed to the preselected destination without any additional action by the user when the end instrument goes off-hook. ... A website (or Web site) is a collection of web pages, images, videos and other digital assets and hosted on a particular domain or subdomain on the World Wide Web. ...

Commonly Recalled Products

• Things causing harm or danger
• Other defects diminishing functionality
• Inadequate documentation (typically requires just re-shipment of documentation rather than a recall)

Instances of Product Recalls

• USA (October 1982): Tylenol scare
• USA (1998-1999): Chevrolet Malibu incident: Failure to recall resulted in multiple fatal occurrences
• USA (May 2000): Ford Motor Company's handling of the recall of the 6.5 million 15-inch Firestone tires fitted to the Ford Explorer SUV. This soon culminated in the resignation of Ford's CEO at the time, Jacques Nasser. (See Firestone vs Ford Motor Company controversy.)
• Australia (April 2003): The recall of a variety of goods manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals as a result of failures in quality assurance and standards. The company was soon put under receivership.
• United Kingdom and Canada (February 2005): Potentially carcinogenic Sudan I food colouring was found in over 400 products containing Worcester sauce and had to be recalled.
• Ireland and United Kingdom (24th June 2006): Cadbury-Schweppes announced that there has been a salmonella scare in their products, causing millions of chocolate bars from stores across Ireland and the UK to be recalled.
• 2006 Sony notebook computer batteries recall:
  • August 2006: Dell recalls over four million notebook computer batteries, after a number of instances where the batteries, made by Sony, overheated or caught fire. Most of the defective notebooks where sold in the US, however some one million faulty batteries could be found elsewhere in the world.
  • August 2006: Following Dell's battery recall Apple Computer also recalls 1.8 million Sony notebook computer batteries. Similar to Dell, most of the notebooks were sold in the United States. However some 700,000 units could be found overseas.
  • September 2006: Matsushita (Panasonic) recalls 6,000 batteries.
  • September 2006: Toshiba recalls 340,000 batteries.
  • September 2006: IBM/Lenovo recalls 500,000 batteries.
  • October 2006: Hitachi recalls 16,000 batteries.
  • October 2006: Fujitsu recalls 338,000 batteries.
  • October 2006: Sharp recalls 28,000 batteries.
  • February 2007:Lenovo and Sanyo recalls 200,000 batteries.

1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Tylenol scare occurred in the autumn of 1982, after seven people in the Chicago, Illinois area died after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol medicine capsules which had been laced with cyanide poison. ... The Chevrolet Malibu (named after Malibu, California) is a mid-size car produced in the United States by General Motors. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ford Motor Company, (Fomoco on mechanical parts), is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker based on vehicle sales in 2005. ... Firestone tire The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was founded by Harvey Firestone in the late 19th century to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. ... The Ford Explorer is a mid-size sport utility vehicle sold mostly in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States A sport utility vehicle, or SUV, is a passenger vehicle which combines the towing capability of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a sedan. ... Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the job of having the ultimate executive responsibility or authority within an organization or corporation. ... 69. ... In May 2000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) contacted Ford and Firestone about the high incidence of tire failure on Ford Explorers fitted with Firestone tires. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 advertisement Worcestershire sauce (pronounced /Wus-t9r-sh9r/ sauce) also known as Worcester sauce (pronounced /Wus-t9r/ sauce) is a widely used fermented liquid condiment. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the corporation Dell, Inc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the corporation Dell, Inc. ... Apple Inc. ... Logo for the Panasonic brand Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ... Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... International Business Machines Corporation (known as IBM or Big Blue; NYSE: IBM) is a multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA. The company is one of the few information technology companies with a continuous history dating back to the 19th century. ... Lenovo Group Limited, formerly known as Legend Group Limited, is the largest personal computer manufacturer in the Peoples Republic of China, and as of 2004 is the eighth largest in the world. ... Hitachi may refer to: Hitachi (train) trains in Melbourne, Australia. ... For the district in Saga, Japan, see Fujitsu, Saga. ... The word sharp or acronym SHARP has several uses: Look up sharp in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Lenovo Group Limited, formerly known as Legend Group Limited, is the largest personal computer manufacturer in the Peoples Republic of China, and as of 2004 is the eighth largest in the world. ... Sanyo Electric Co. ...

See also

• Toy safety

Magnetix, a popular construction toy selling over 3. ...

External links

• Product Recalls in the UK from UK Trading Standards.
• Ownersite.com Site to Research Vehicle Recalls in the US.
• CPSC The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a government site listing recalls in the United States.
• recalls.gov, a U.S. government website that announces most US government recalls
• autorecalls.org, Contains over 40,000 archived automotive recall notices.