Power Inflator
CPSC Recall #10-286 — June 29, 2010
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 10-286 |
| Recall Date | June 29, 2010 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 1,380 in the U.S., 530 in Canada |
| Importer | Aqua Lung America of Vista, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | California |
Where It Was Sold
| Diving stores in the U.S. and Canada from November 2006 through March 2010 for between $53 and $70 for the component and between $280 and $520 for the air cells. |
Product
Power Inflator
Description
The power inflator is the black mouthpiece with the two brass buttons at the end of the corrugated hose. The recall involves all models of the Apeks WTX power inflators. Some of the recalled components were included on complete air cells. Those model numbers are: 388032, 388060, 388080, 388145, 388260, and 42775. The model number of the air cell can be found on the tag sewn on the center of the air cell or bladder.
Hazard
The oral inflator button is not properly bonded to the oral stem and can fall off during use, posing a leak of the buoyancy compensator contents. This poses a drowning hazard.
Incidents & Injuries
Aqua Lung America has received one report of a consumer’s oral inflate button falling off during use. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop diving with their recalled power inflator and bring it or send it to an authorized Apeks dealer. The dealer will apply a free fix. Consumers may also ask for and receive a free replacement product.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.