Top recalls for the week of Nov. 18 include carrots, vehicles

Grimmway Farms, Volkswagen, Medical King, General Motors, Stellantis recalls overview:

• Who: Grimmway Farms. Volkswagen, Medical King, General Motors and Stellantis recalled products last week.
• Why: The top recalls involve product safety and possible risk of harm. 
• Where: The recalls are effective in the United States; the Grimmway Farms recall is also effective in Puerto Rico and Canada. 

Several popular companies, retailers and manufacturers announced recalls for products that may pose a risk of injury to consumers. Here are Top Class Actions’ top recalls for the week of Nov. 18.  

Carrot recall due to potential E. coli affects consumers nationwide

Grimmway Farms issued a recall for select organic whole and baby carrots distributed across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico due to an investigation into a deadly outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H19 infections. 

The outbreak caused 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations and one death across 17 states, according to the recall notice. Among 27 individuals interviewed, 26 reported consuming carrots prior to falling ill. 

This strain of E. coli can cause severe illness, including bloody diarrhea, hemolytic uremic syndrome and long-term complications like high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease, particularly in vulnerable populations such as young children, the elderly and individuals with weakened immune systems, the recall notice states. 

The Food & Drug Administration advises immediate disposal of these products to prevent further cases. 

VW announces recall for several models due to potential airbag defect

Volkswagen issued a recall for more than 110,000 vehicles due to a risk associated with exploding airbag inflators. 

Impacted models include the 2017-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan. The issue involves the driver’s side Takata SDI-D frontal airbag inflator, which may degrade over time when exposed to high humidity, extreme temperatures and temperature fluctuations, the recall notice says. Volkswagen warns an exploding inflator could release sharp metal fragments, potentially causing serious injuries or fatalities.

Volkswagen says it plans to replace the faulty driver’s side front airbag module at no cost to owners, according to the recall notice. It also says it will send notification letters to affected vehicle owners by Dec. 27. 

Medical King announces recall for adult bed rails following death

Medical King recalled three models of its adult portable bed rails following the death of a 66-year-old man who became trapped between his mattress and the bed rail. 

The recall, which the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission published Nov. 14, affects approximately 222,000 units. The affected models include the Bed Assist Rail with Adjustable Heights (models 7007 and 7057) and the Bed Assist Rail Without Legs (model 7037). 

When attached to an adult bed, the rails can pose a serious entrapment hazard, potentially leading to asphyxiation, according to the recall notice. Medical King confirmed one death linked to model 7007, which occurred in November 2023 at a residential care facility in South Carolina.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bed rails and contact Medical King for a free repair kit or replacement rail, depending on the model, the recall notice states. Medical King sold the rails between January 2020 and March 2024 for about $40 through retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target Plus, eBay, Kohl’s and the Medical King website.

GM announces recall for diesel trucks, SUVs over rear wheel defect

General Motors recalled several diesel trucks and SUVs due to a defect that may cause the rear wheels to suddenly lock up, increasing the risk of a crash. 

Announced Nov. 7 via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall covers various 2021-2022 models, including the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado (1500, 2500 and 3500), GMC Sierra (1500, 2500 and 3500), Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL. 

The issue allegedly stems from a potential failure in the transmission control valve, which could result in rear-wheel lock-up, the recall states. GM says it received 1,888 field reports and documented 11 incidents related to this issue, some of which involved vehicles veering off the road and minor property damage. 

To address the problem, GM will install updated transmission control module software at no cost to owners, according to the recall notice. Additionally, the company will offer a “special coverage program” to repair transmissions flagged as defective by the new software. GM says it expects to mail owner notification letters Dec. 9. 

Stellantis issue recall for Jeep Grand Cherokees, Dodge Durangos

Stellantis recalled more than 200,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles from the 2018-2019 model years due to defective antilock-brake systems. 

The recall affects Jeep Grand Cherokee models produced between June 11, 2018, and July 12, 2019, and Dodge Durango models produced between June 12, 2018, and July 12, 2019. 

The defect may prevent brake lights from illuminating properly, disable ABS and electronic stability control systems,and allow the vehicle to be started and shifted out of park without the brake pedal being applied, posing a risk of vehicle rollaway, according to the recall notice. Stellantis warns these issues can reduce vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of crashes, while faulty brake lights may fail to signal a driver’s intent to other vehicles.

Stellantis is developing a remedy for the defect and plans to notify affected vehicle owners by mail starting Dec. 5. In the meantime, drivers with questions can contact Stellantis directly at 800-853-1403 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. 

Have you purchased any of the products listed in our top recalls recently? Let us know in the comments. And be sure to check out other top recalls.

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