Here’s a look at some of the latest recalls and product safety announcements.
PetSmart fined for not reporting injury-causing fish bowls
PetSmart will pay a $4.25 million civil fine for not quickly reporting defective fish bowls that caused serious injuries at least a dozen times.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that injuries included deep cuts requiring stitches and severed tendons that required surgery after bowls cracked or shattered.
The pet products retailer sold the bowls under the “Great Choice” and “Top Fin” brands from March 2010 through September 2013.
The CPSC says the Phoenix company will also work on improving compliance with consumer safety laws.
Sabra recalls hummus products over Listeria concerns
Sabra Dipping Co., LLC is voluntarily recalling several of its hummus products over Listeria concerns.
The bacteria has not been found in any of their products; however, the company is issuing a recall as a precaution.
The recalled items were sold at retail outlets in the United States and Canada. They have a “Best Before” date up through Jan. 23, 2017.
Mazda recalls 70,000 cars in the U.S.
Mazda Motor Corp will recall about 70,000 of its RX-8 sports cars from model years 2004 to 2008 in the United States because of an issue with fuel pump sealing rings that may leak and catch fire, U.S. safety regulators said.
“The affected vehicles have fuel pump sealing rings that may deteriorate due to exposure to heat from the engine or exhaust pipe,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement on its website.
“The deteriorated seals may leak fuel, which in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.”
Mazda did not mention any injuries or incidents but said it will notify owners and replace the fuel pump sealing ring set free of charge.
Fiat Chrysler recalls vehicles for fuel leak, wiper problems
Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 89,000 cars and SUVs to fix possible fuel leaks or problems with windshield wipers.
The most serious recall covers nearly 35,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs worldwide from the 2016 model year. All have 3.6-liter V6 engines. A fuel tube may have been damaged in manufacturing, and that could cause a gas leak and fire.
Fiat Chrysler says an employee found a leak in one vehicle and no fires have been reported. Dealers will replace fuel injector rails and lower intake manifolds if needed.
The other recall covers more than 54,000 Dodge Dart compacts from the 2016 model year in North America. Electrical voltage spikes caused by a windshield washer pump can cause short circuits. That can cause the wipers to fail.
Car booster seats for kids are getting better, study says
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says companies that make child booster seats for vehicles are getting better at designing them to protect kids.
Of the 53 new booster seats IIHS tested, 48 received the nonprofit’s highest rating. Two models of booster seats, which were made by Dorel Juvenile, were not recommended. When IIHS first began rating booster seats about eight years ago, only a quarter of seats earned the highest rating.
Booster seats are made for children between 4 and 8 years old who have outgrown their car seats. Kids who sit on the booster seats are 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash compared to just using seat belts alone, IIHS said.
The Dorel Juvenile models that were not recommended were the Cosco Easy Elite and the Cosco Highback 2-in-1 DX. The IIHS said Dorel Juvenile designed seven other boosters that received its highest rating.