Massive Maclaren Recall

[NormaSknockers]

Info can be found here

Basically anything from 1999 - 2009

Sorry please can i have a recap;

what is the exact position on this from Maclaren in the UK

more info on BBC 1 o'clock news and on 5live at 1620 if you are interested. I suggest that you ring Maclaren customer services on 01327 841320 if you are concerned. They have some information. Big tip - don't ring from a mobile.. you may be waiting for a while!

regards

Nick

"The company stressed that models sold in the UK were not affected." according to BBC news

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Surely if Maclaren has identified a safety risk (however small), it should apply to all its products wherever they are sold?
In the States, they are distributing a fix that covers the hinge. Why not here? Accidents can and do happen, however careful the parent - why not offer the UK consumers the same protection?

Another exmample of

• ridiculously litigious nature of US society v UK
• how people should take responsbility for their own actions - don't let the kids near the buggy while you are putting it up. If you want it to fold up its bound to have somewhere kids fingers can get caught.
• but not very clever of McClaren not to have spokesman available this morning (according to Radio 4)

Surely if the pushchairs here are the same they need to be recalled too.

Agree with other posters, why would the child be near the buggy msot of the time as it was being folded? Although accidents do adn will happen as in the example given. Also agree doors are far more hazardous.

IME a P&T is more of a finger risk than a Maclaren, the number of times I almost jammed my fingers in it, would shudder at a childs being caught.

sweetkitty - P&T hinge covers are available link

this must apply to lots of hinges though I would have thought?

I remember catching my finger in a folding sun lounger type thing for the garden when I was a kid and severing my finger quite badly - I wonder if this will prompt other manufacturers to have a look at their hinges

I don't get this at all. Any hinge is dangerous if you stick a finger in it, isn't it? I can't see that my buggy is any more dangerous than anything else if I keep DD away while I'm putting it up or down? Or am I just being dim because my Techno is only 2 months old and there's no mileage in it being replaced

It's like the big hoo ha about baby walkers and children falling down stairs whilst in them, I think they have been banned in a few countries.

I have a 5yo Techno that is still going strong although has started to look a bit worn now, do you think theres a chance that Maclaren will replace them? can you imagine how many knackered old Maclarens there must be in this country?

Does anyone know if this applies to all folding buggies or just Maclaren ones?

skynews says we won't get the hinge covers in the UK because "there are a lower number of similar reported incidents amongst the considerably higher number of Maclaren buggies sold in Europe annually relative to the US market"

So they will wait until there are more accidents before issuing the covers here, even though they have already identified the risk and the solution, and even though they offer it to other (more litigious?) consumers?
How very ethical of them...

Hi Sezdee, I am so sorry for your little boy. It must have been very distressing for him and the whole family. I agree that accidents do happen and that on the whole the UK does not want to mimic the ?claim culture? as perceived in the US.

However, if we as consumers put our head in the sand and do nothing, then companies like Maclaren will continue to make potentially dangerous products for our children.

I am asking if Maclaren will consider making the repair kit available to UK parents. Hardly an unreasonable request.

We called Maclaren and they said if they had enough complaints they would send out the free repair kit. That is all we have to do. Complain and ask for the repair kit.

Mindful Mum has a downloadable email template where parents can request the repair kit here. Please let us act together as parents and ask Maclaren to do the right thing.

Make the repair kit available in the UK

There is a different article on the bbc news website with a video on how to fold the pushchair: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8352665.stm

Stupid or not i can guarantee you can lose the top of a child's finger in the the pushchair. this happened to my daughter 2 years ago.

If Maclaren US can issue hinge clips to all US customers then they can do the same in the UK. I have just emailed them to request the clips and offered to pay for them. If we start a campaign to get the clips issued here I think MUMSNET is big enough to win. I suggest we all email and ask Maclaren to get the clips to us too.

Stupid or not i can guarantee you can lose the top of a child's finger in the the pushchair. this happened to my daughter 2 years ago.

It was an horrific ordeal, for my daughter and my family, after weeks on end waiting to see how much of the gangrene had died and to see what was left of the top of her finger . luckily she only lost a small amount of length to her finger and after a false nail bed was made , her finger nail has regrown. her finger is disfigured and is shorter than it should be.

I can not believe that the UK will not issue the safety kits, as there is not enough cases in the uk, are they suggesting we wait for more cases.

i didn't at the time report it to maclaren, as i thought it an isolated incident , but i have now. I would appeal to anyone who has had an similar incident to report it to maclaeran, Lets get the kits out in the UK asap.

latest on their UK website

It's unacceptable that the UK & Europe get a less safe product even if the risk is v small

Hi,
We contacted McLaren yesterday after hearing the story to tell them that it is also an issue in the UK.
We haven't heard anything back yet (I imagine they were inundated yesterday) but I'll let you know if I hear back from them.

• I would happily buy the safety kit if it makes my buggy that bit safer - especially after what's happened to Dan. I agree with those people who say 'keep your child?s fingers away when you're putting you buggy up'. We usually do but accidents do happen.

I'd just like to thank those of you who sent him your kind wishes.

I rang McLaren on the number given above and they have promised to send me a free repair kit ASAP.

I know we think we watch our LO's all the time but an accident is just that - something you don't see coming. My little girl is learning new tricks so fast that it is impossible to keep her safe all of the time. She recently learnt to open the french doors and caught her thumb in the hinge before I could get across the living room to steer her away from them. Her thumbnail is broken at the bottom, I am praying it will grow back ok. But what if it had been the whole tip of her thumb???

I am so sorry for your son sezdee, I hope his finger heals x

a few links to other Maclaren hinge discussions

Interesting debate on BBC Radio 2 now 14:20 gmt

I have just visited the website called bumpsnbabes.com who supplied my Maclaren Quest and looked at their blogger which has a statement from Maclaren. I have spoken to bumpsnbabes and they have agreed to pass on all comments that you post on the blog to Maclaren.

I agree that all hinges are dangerous and obviously lots of pushchairs have hinges but since we keep our maclaren in the car it is CONSTANTLY being put up and down unlike our other pushchair that lives in the house.
This makes is more of a worry for me.

Thanks for the above number and link - I'll definitely be pursuing a kit