Explorer and Hammerhead Strollers are being recalled for faulty breaks, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC), just announced.
In the United States, 7,400 defective Explorer Strollers are being recalled; 1,900 are being recalled in Canada. Also, 160 Hammerhead Strollers are being recalled in the U.S. and 65 are being recalled in Canada.
The brake mechanism on the strollers can fail, posing an injury hazard. To date, 8 incidents have been reported globally; none in North America. No injuries have been reported, to date.
The defective, recalled Explorer and Hammerhead Strollers, which were manufactured in China and imported by phil&teds USA Inc, of Fort Collins, Colorado, were sold online at philandteds.com, pishposhbaby.com, and albeebaby.com, and at Babies R Us and specialty juvenile retailers in the United States and Canada from August 2010 through June 2011 for between $475 and $500.
The recalled strollers have metal frames and were sold as single strollers or with a doubles kit to make them double strollers. The Explorer has three wheels and the Hammerhead has four. Both have a cloth seat and canopy. Explorer strollers were sold in black, apple green, navy, red/black, and apple green/black. Hammerhead strollers were sold in black only.
The phil&teds logo is located on the crotch piece of the harness on both models. The strollers have the text “phil&teds model EX explorer†or “phil&teds model HH hammerhead†printed on a sticker on the rear axle bar. The serial numbers run consecutively with the month and year followed by the unit number. Affected serial numbers are 0610/0001 to 0111/4788 (June 2010, unit #1, to January 2011, unit #4788). This information can be found on a sticker attached to the inside of the left hand hinge when viewing the stroller from behind.
Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact phil&teds to arrange to receive a upgraded brake assembly. Explorer owners will receive a new frame fitted with an upgraded brake assembly. Consumers can perform an in-home swap out of the affected frame. Hammerhead owners will receive a pre-paid return shipping container in order to return the stroller to phil&teds where the brake assembly will be replaced and the stroller returned.
phil&teds USA can be reached, toll free, at 1.855.652.9019 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Mountain Time (MT), Monday through Friday, or at the company’s website at www.philandteds.com/support.
