Bowflex Power Pro and Bowflex Ultimate Fitness Machines
CPSC Recall #05-048 - November 15, 2004
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 05-048 |
| Recall Date | November 15, 2004 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | 680,000 Power Pro units, and 102,000 Ultimate units |
| Manufacturer | The Nautilus Group, of Vancouver, Wash. |
| Manufactured In | China and Taiwan |
Where It Was Sold
| Specialty fitness stores |
| infomercials and direct sales nationwide from January 1995 through April 2004 for between $1 |
| 200 and $1 |
| 600. |
Product
Bowflex Power Pro and Bowflex Ultimate Fitness Machines
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Nautilus Group, of Vancouver, Wash. is voluntarily recalling 680,000 Power Pro and 102,000 Ultimate fitness machines. The seat pin on the Power Pro with "Lat Tower" and Ultimate models can break or become disengaged, allowing the seat to move suddenly. Also, the incline support bracket on the Power Pro without a "Lat Tower" can break, allowing the incline bench to move suddenly. Both hazards pose a fall risk to the user.Name of product: Bowflex Power Pro and Bowflex Ultimate Fitness MachinesUnits: 680,000 Power Pro units and 102,000 Ultimate unitsManufacturer: The Nautilus Group, of Vancouver, Wash.Hazard: The seat pin on the Power Pro with "Lat Tower" and Ultimate models can break or become disengaged, allowing the seat to move suddenly. Also, the incline support bracket on the Power Pro without a "Lat Tower" can break, allowing the incline bench to move suddenly. Both hazards pose a fall risk to the user.Incidents/Injuries: Nautilus has received 46 reports of the seat pin failure, including two serious injuries requiring stitches to the head. Additionally, Nautilus received 42 reports of the incline support bracket failure including injuries to the back, neck and head.Description: The recalled fitness machines are the Bowflex Power Pro with and without a "Lat Tower" and Ultimate models built before September 1, 2002. The "Lat Tower" attaches to the back of the bench, and has pull-down pulleys attached. The name "Bowflex" and the model name are printed on the front of the machines.Sold at: Specialty fitness stores, infomercials and direct sales nationwide from January 1995 through April 2004 for between $1,200 and $1,600.Manufactured in: China and TaiwanRemedy: The firm is no longer in business and the recall remedy is no longer available. Discard this product. Do not donate or resell.
Hazard
The seat pin on the Power Pro with "Lat Tower" and Ultimate models can break or become disengaged, allowing the seat to move suddenly. Also, the incline support bracket on the Power Pro without a "Lat Tower" can break, allowing the incline bench to move suddenly. Both hazards pose a fall risk to the user.
Incidents & Injuries
Nautilus has received 46 reports of the seat pin failure, including two serious injuries requiring stitches to the head. Additionally, Nautilus received 42 reports of the incline support bracket failure including injuries to the back, neck and head.
Remedy Instructions
The firm is no longer in business and the recall remedy is no longer available. Discard this product. Do not donate or resell.
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.