Bugaboo Bee Strollers Recalled by Bugaboo Americas Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2011 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.  It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Bugaboo Bee Strollers

Units: About 7,000 in the United States and 260 in Canada

Importer: Bugaboo Americas, of El Segundo, Calif.

Hazard: The front swivel wheels can lock while the stroller is in motion, causing the stroller to tip and posing a fall hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Four incidents have been reported where the stroller’s swivel wheels locked and the stroller tipped over.  In two of these incidents, a baby and a toddler suffered minor injuries.

Description: The recalled strollers are made for newborns and toddlers up to 37 pounds. They are sold in two frame colors: silver and all black. The stroller’s seat comes in black or denim colors and canopy colors include yellow, black, khaki, blue, pink and red, plus special collections colors such as tangerine, soft pink, light green, dark purple, denim and the Missoni print collection. Production dates from January 2011 through September 2011, which are printed with the month abbreviated and year, i.e “Jan. 2011”, the “Bugaboo Bee” name and company address  are printed on the date code label located on the stroller frame under the seat unit. “Bugaboo Bee” is also printed on the side of the seat backrest.

Sold by: Toys R Us, Buy Buy Baby and other baby product stores nationwide, online at Bugaboo.com and other online retailers between February 2011 and September 2011 for about $650.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Bugaboo or the retailer where the stroller was purchased to receive free replacement swivel wheels.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Bugaboo at[email protected] or at (800) 460-2922 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://www.bugaboo.com/non-swiveling-wheels.

Note: Health Canada’s press release is available at http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=1486

Photo available at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12066.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 460-2922CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908HC Media Contact: (613) 957-2983

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

frequently asked questions

Why is the CPSC issuing a voluntary recall notice if the problem is being taken care of?

The safety and wellbeing of our customers is paramount to Bugaboo. When we first learned of the potential of a safety risk, we took steps to notify our customers, retailers and appropriate regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and to create a service solution available to remedy that risk.  We are joining the CPSC in this recall notice to ensure the widest awareness possible as part of our efforts to fully restore the safety profile of the Bugaboo Bee.

What caused the Bugaboo Bee swivel wheels to not swivel?

In order to optimize the Bugaboo Bee with the intention to prevent the wheels from shimmying, we changed the original metal bearing wheels to plastic bearing wheels early 2011. Independent research had shown us that by using plastic bearings, more friction was added to the wheels and this stopped the wheels from shimmying.

The first production runs from January 2011 up to and including March 2011 contained plastic bearing swivel wheels that were not up to our quality standards as we established some wheel housings had a flaw. This flaw was instantly corrected in production. At the time we saw that, although not all of the produced Bugaboo Bee strollers were affected, some customers could experience their front wheels may not swivel as they should as a result of this flaw. Those customers were serviced by sending an improved replacement set of wheels, with plastic bearings.

However, we have continued to receive non-swiveling complaints from our consumers. Our further investigations have led us to conclude that the solution to prevent shimmying wheels by changing the original metal bearing wheels to plastic bearing wheels has, as an unintended consequence, led to an increased probability for non-swiveling wheels and a safety risk.

Is there a safety risk?

The safety and wellbeing of our customers is paramount to Bugaboo. Previously this year we found that, when customers experience their wheels to not swivel, this affected their driving experience but we believed this did not affect the safety of the stroller. However, the latest safety assessment by an independent study concluded, following further tests, that there is a small chance that the stroller’s front wheels could jam, which could potentially make the stroller tip over. In light of this we believe that the safety profile of this product is inadequate and not up to our quality standard.

In order to restore the safety profile of the Bugaboo Bee, we will revert to the original metal bearing swivel wheels and exchange all plastic bearing swivel wheels with metal bearing ones on all Bugaboo Bee strollers with production date January up to and including September 2011. We believe that these metal bearing swivel wheels are the solution to the non-swiveling issues some Bugaboo Bee customers are experiencing and remove any potential for tip over and the risks associated with tip over.

In previous communications you mentioned that it was not a safety issue. Why is it a safety issue now?

The safety and wellbeing of our customers is paramount to Bugaboo. Previously this year we found no factual information indicating that, other than non-swiveling wheels affecting the driving experience, it did not affect the safety of the stroller. However, as we continued to receive non-swiveling complaints from our consumers and our retailers, we engaged in further investigations. It is the latest safety assessment by an independent study that has concluded, following further tests, that there is a small chance that the stroller’s front swivel wheels could jam, which could potentially make the stroller tip over. From that point we quickly notified customers, retailers and appropriate regulatory agencies.

Bugaboo will go back to the original metal bearing swivel wheels and exchange plastic bearing swivel wheels with metal bearing ones on all Bugaboo Bee strollers with production date January 2011 up to and including September 2011. We believe that these metal bearing swivel wheels will be the solution to the non-swiveling issues some Bugaboo Bee customers are experiencing and remove any potential for tipping over.

Will the service solution lower the safety risk?

Yes. To restore the safety profile of the Bugaboo Bee, we will go back to the tried and tested, original metal bearing swivel wheels and exchange plastic bearing swivel wheels with metal bearing ones on all Bugaboo Bee strollers with production date January 2011 up to and including September 2011. We believe that these metal bearing swivel wheels will be the solution to the non-swiveling issues some Bugaboo Bee customers are experiencing and remove any potential for tip over and the risks associated with tip over.

Is using metal bearing swivel wheels a certified safe solution? In other words: does it have a safety certificate from an appropriate authority?

All Bugaboo strollers are JPMA Certified in the U.S. and tested by Intertek to the mandatory Canadian SOR requirements. Products tested by these independent safety labs included metal bearings.

Will my metal bearing wheels still shimmy?

Should you experience your Bugaboo Bee front wheels to shimmy (vibrate), please get in contact with our Customer Service Department. Customer Service will send you a washer rings set + user instruction. Our engineers have found that if you place washer rings on the pin of your stroller’s chassis this will stop the shimmying effect. These washer rings can nevertheless experience regular wear and tear, which means that over time they would need to be replaced. For this reason the service set contains 3 pairs of washer rings. A video that provides guidance on installing the washer rings is available at www.bugaboo.com/shimmying-wheels

What is a shimmying wheel?

Shimmy is an effect that can occur on swivel wheels in general. The vibration – so-called shimmying – of swivel wheels can be experienced in strollers but also in other everyday equipment, such as wheelchairs and grocery carts.

What is causing the Bugaboo Bee swivel wheels to shimmy?

There are several circumstances that can cause a swivel wheel to shimmy, for instance speed, the surface of the road and the load on the wheel suspension. The shimmying of swivel wheels is a recognized challenge in industries that use swivel wheels.

Other stroller brands don’t have any issues with shimmying? How come?

All products with front swiveling wheels could have this issue to some degree and is dependent on many factors. There are several circumstances that can cause a swivel wheel to shimmy, for instance speed, the surface of the road and the load on the wheel suspension. The shimmying of swivel wheels is a recognized challenge in industries that use swivel wheels.

Do the Bugaboo Cameleon and the Bugaboo Donkey also experience non-swiveling and/or shimmying wheels?

In regards to Bugaboo strollers, the Bugaboo Cameleon and Bugaboo Donkey have different wheel designs than the Bugaboo Bee. Neither product has received complaints regarding non-swiveling.