Ab Lounge™, Ab Lounge™ 2, and Ab Lounge™ Ultimate Exercisers
CPSC Recall #05-055 - November 22, 2004
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 05-055 |
| Recall Date | November 22, 2004 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 460,000 |
| Manufactured In | China and Thailand |
Where It Was Sold
| Infomercial |
| Internet |
| catalog |
| and discount department and sporting goods stores |
| including Wal-Mart and Dicks Sporting Goods |
| nationwide since October 2003 for between $100 and $210. |
Product
Ab Lounge™, Ab Lounge™ 2, and Ab Lounge™ Ultimate Exercisers
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fitness Quest Inc., of Canton, Ohio is voluntarily recalling about 460,000 Ab LoungeÖ, Ab LoungeÖ 2, and Ab LoungeÖ Ultimate Exercisers products. When opening or folding up these exercise machines, consumers can catch their fingers in the hinges. This can result in lacerations, crushing, or amputation to fingertips. This does not occur while users are exercising.Name of product: Ab Lounge™, Ab Lounge™ 2, and Ab Lounge™ Ultimate ExercisersUnits: About 460,000Distributor: Fitness Quest Inc., of Canton, OhioHazard: When opening or folding up these exercise machines, consumers can catch their fingers in the hinges. This can result in lacerations, crushing, or amputation to fingertips. This does not occur while users are exercising.Incidents/Injuries: Fitness Quest has received 15 reports of injuries, including lacerations, crushing and amputations to fingertips.Description: The recall includes the Ab Lounge™, Ab Lounge™ 2, and Ab Lounge™ Ultimate exercisers. The machines have the name "Ab Lounge" or "Ab Lounge 2" printed on the upper front fabric of the seat. The recall involves machines with the following serial numbers:Ab Lounge™ machines: ALX-000001 through ALX-037999, and all machines that start with serial numbers 03 44 through 04 36.Ab Lounge™ 2 machines: AL2X-000001 through AL2X-059060, and all machines that start with serial numbers 04 03 through 04 36.Ab Lounge™ Ultimate machines: all machines that start with serial numbers 04 28 through 04 34.The serial number is located on a label on the bottom of the front frame. Ab Lounge™ exercise products with straight brackets that do not fold are not part of this recall.Sold at: Infomercial, Internet, catalog, and discount department and sporting goods stores, including Wal-Mart and Dicks Sporting Goods, nationwide since October 2003 for between $100 and $210.Manufactured in: China and ThailandRemedy: Consumers should stop using these exercisers and contact the firm for a free repair kit. The firm is contacting all consumers who purchased the Ab Lounge™ directly from Fitness Quest via infomercial or website. Due to the large number of repair kits required to meet demand, these consumers may experience a delay of a few weeks before they receive their kits. Any consumer who owns an Ab Lounge™ purchased at a retail store should stop using the equipment and contact Fitness Quest immediately to receive the repair kit.Consumer Contact: Contact Fitness Quest at (800) 321-9236 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to www.fitnessquest.com.
Hazard
When opening or folding up these exercise machines, consumers can catch their fingers in the hinges. This can result in lacerations, crushing, or amputation to fingertips. This does not occur while users are exercising.
Incidents & Injuries
Fitness Quest has received 15 reports of injuries, including lacerations, crushing and amputations to fingertips.
Remedy Instructions
UPDATE: Firm no longer in business. Recall remedy no longer available. Discard the product. Do not donate or resell.Consumers should stop using these exercisers and contact the firm for a free repair kit.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.