Fisher-Price Portable Play Yard Recall: Reports of Rails Collapsing
Published: January 16th, 2009 • Comments: 22
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a Fisher-Price Rainforest Portable Play Yard recall for about 200,000 “pack n play”-like products manufactured by Simplicity, Inc., which was liquidated last year after safety problems with many of their products.
The play yard recall was announced on January 15, 2009, after it was discovered that one or more of the rails could unexpectedly collapse, posing a potential fall hazard or risk of entrapment for children.
The portable play pens contain a bassinet, changing table and mobile features like wheels at one end, with model numbers 5310 RNF, 5310RNFC and 5310RNFW on a sticker under the product. They were sold throughout the United States since January 2007 for about $100, containing the Fisher-Price logo and Rainforest themed artwork.
Simplicity, Inc., which manufactured the pac-n-play type pens, ceased all operations and had all assets sold at a public auction last year following a September 2007 recall of about 1 million defective baby cribs which injured or killed several babies.
All of Simplicity’s assets were purchased by SFCA, Inc., and the U.S. CPSC indicates that neither company has responded to their request that these products be recalled nor have they been responsive to consumer complaints involving problems with the Fisher-Price Portable Play Yards.
About 1,350 reports of problems with the Fisher-Price Rainforest Play Pens have been received involving one or more of the side rails collapsing. Several children have suffered bumps, bruises, cuts, concussions and broken bones.
In August 2008, months after Simplicity ceased operations, the U.S. CPSC issued a warning directly to parents about reports of problems with Simplicity bassinets after learning of at least two infant deaths caused by design defects which created a gap between the bassinett’s metal bars.
At that time, SFCA, Inc., failed to cooperate with the CPSC, but a number of large retailers voluntarily agreed to accept returns of the recalled bassinets, some of which were sold with the Graco label and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh characters.
For the Rainforest Portable Play Yards, Fisher-Price has agreed to replace any of the play pens that contain their logo, even though they did not manufacture or distribute the products.
Consumers have been urged to immediately stop using the portable play pens and to contact Fisher-Price at (800) 432-5437 or at www.service.mattel.com.
Comment by erica and william on 19 January 2009:
My wife and I had our first child on 8/12/09. At the bridal shower our mother in law bought us the fisher price rainforest play yard. It failed allmost immeatley after assembling it. So we went to wal-mart and got a replacement play yard. Three weeks ago the arms collasped on that unit as well. Do not use this play yard it is not safe dont trust your kids with this inferrior play pen it’s not worth your childs life.
Comment by Susan on 21 January 2009:
I purchased for my granddaughter who was born August 18, 2008. I paid a little more than 100 dollars for it including tax, but willl have to take the 100 refund, plus all the trouble of cutting it up, packaging the remnants and trip to the post office to mail it off. I’m old enough and old fashioned enough to say I will never buy a Fisher Price product again. We need to hold these companies accountable and stand up for once.
Comment by Hope on 22 January 2009:
i called and they want you to cut up your play yard on the 3 sides with the mesh and the brown back panle and hey will send you a check in 12 weeks !!!! i use mine on a daily bases i cant go that long with out one
Comment by Stephanie on 24 January 2009:
I bought one of these in July 2008 from Toys R Us and have had trouble with it since the beginning. I tried repeatedly to contact someone for technical support at the number that was sent with the unit. I was never able to get through. The rails on two sides of the pack and play collapse at the slightest touch – very dangerous!! I stopped using mine before the recall but in my opinion the technical support number should have had a warning message so that those who called about the problems would have known to stop using them right away months ago!!!!! And it’s true, it’s not worth risking injury to your child!!!!!!
Comment by Carly on 27 January 2009:
I purchased this item at the end of 2007. Our newborn slept in it from the night he came home till 3 months old. We moved him to his crib when the arms started collapsing. I didnt bother taking it back because i thought it was user error. We use this on a daily basis and i cant wait 12 weeks to get a check. Plus we spent more then 100 on it. This is ridiculous. There is going to be a lawsuit.
Comment by Desiree on 29 January 2009:
I am so angry…its a peice of crap the rails keep falling…i would put my newborn in there to sleep and just like that at the drop of a dime it would collaspe.It was a gift so i didnt say anything but now i see that its a problem every where! IT ISN’T SAFE!! AT ALL…. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!
Comment by Ashley on 31 January 2009:
I have a 7 month old with GER (infant heartburn) and he has been sleeping in this playpen since he was born. I prop it up slightly with a book on one end. This is what the pediatrician told me to do as her son also has GER. I’ve never once had any problems with any of the rails collapsing. I will stop using it for sleeping in since he can now situp and the bottom is for playing but I don’t plan on returning it as long as I don’t notice any problems. I will test the rails myself and see if they collapse when I push down on them hard. His crib is also made by simplicity.
Comment by Jen on 7 February 2009:
I have two of these pack and plays. I bought one for my daughter to use for naptime at her child care location and one for use at my home or when we travel. The pack and plays were purchased within days of one another at the same retail store. The one at the child care location has NEVER collapsed. The one I use at home has collapsed numerous, however my daughter has never been injured. We assumed we just had a faulty play yard and intended to purchase another. We will now go through the process of returning it to Fisher Price and will purchase another product to use in the meantime.
I, like everyone else am upset with the faulty craftsmanship, but I think people need to keep in mind that Fisher Price does not manufacture this product. The product was manufactured by Simplicity (which has since been purchased by another company, which has not even responded to the customer complaints and certainly is not offering a refund, partial or otherwise). Despite this, Fisher Price is offering to refund a large portion of the purchase price if the item is shipped to them.
I understand those who say that they use their play yard daily, we do as well. If you are concerned for your child’s safety and plan not to use this pack and play because of the safety issues, I assume that you will do without one or purchase another brand. If so, why not cut up the Fisher Price model and send it back. The refund will take time, but ultimately, if you intended to purchase another brand immediately to replace the defective one, why not take the refund even if it comes later?
Comment by sarah on 19 March 2009:
i to have this product and have never had a problem with it we have been using it for 20 months now. i agree with what someone else said i don’t have 12 weeks to wait for a check to replace it. i’m a stay at home mom so a $100 is a lot of money for us.
Comment by Katherine on 26 March 2009:
I am happy for a refund. I will use it to buy my daughter a big girl bed!
Comment by Sheanean on 6 April 2009:
My Mother-in-law purchaced this playard for my Grandson for Christmas. The first time we set it up at our house, it started caving. We thought we had made a mistake when we put it together, so we fixed it and went on. The bottom of ours actually gave way first. It had come unlocked and was folding itself back up. After securing it, it happened again. Then, after seeing that it was on recall, I set it up and tested it myself. I rattled the sides, much like a toddler would do, and guess what…the top rail collapsed and a washer fell out of it from somewhere…?….
I’m not happy about having to cut it up and send it back for a refund that may take 3 months to get, but…what else can I do? The store (Babies-R-Us) refuses to take it back.
I was told that if you have the reciept (which WE don’t) and the yard was more than $100, send it with the panels and they will reimburse the full amount of the original cost.
I will not buy anything by Simplicity again. It has taught me a lesson….not even big, popular names are always safe. Why would a big name like Fisher Price trust their name to another company ..in China?? Money. They really should have tested the design before mass marketing it to make sure it was worthy of the Fisher Price name, Or, they should have manufactured them themselves!
Comment by kim on 21 April 2009:
My granddaughters use this and i’m very upset to think that at any time they may be harmed or killed with this product. They also have the other things that went with the rainforest set, what will my daughter do with those now the things won’t match.
Comment by tanisha on 23 June 2009:
i have removed all the sides from my play yard and mailed them in for a refund only i have not gotten any news back from them yet but hopefully soon so that i can buy another one for outside use this summer
Comment by Bob & Inna on 7 August 2009:
I have experienced all the above symtoms. We got lucky, when ours had the side collapse, our 1 yesr old slipped out of the playyard. Luckily she was not hurt and she was sitting next to the play yard when we found her. It all happened in the space of a minute.
We were at a friends house at an outdoor cookout and she was in the grass courtyard. The grass had been treated with an anti mosquito spray. She was sitting in the grass on a blanket that the covered the grass ith. She was within an arms length of the grass. As we all know babies want to put evertything in thier mouths, so we got lucky that we saw her within seconds of her falling/climbing out of the play yard.
It’s a shame we have trusted our toys and products to the Chinese.We waste so much money on stuff that lasts a year and has to be replaced constantly.
Comment by sarah on 10 August 2009:
We received the rain forest pack n play in summer of 2008 as
a gift after the birth of our son. The rails started collapsing a few
months later. We used it to store his clothes and toys because it
didn’t seem safe for him to sleep in. I recently tried to fix the rails
to no avail. I found this recall story after searching for other parents
that may have experienced similar problems with this playpen. I too
intend to remove the side panels and wait on a refund. After wrestling
with this thing for months, its a relief to know its not a complete loss.
Comment by Nekro_G on 10 August 2009:
Has anyone actually recieved a check yet?
just curious were waiting on our label..
We Have an 8 month old daughter & ours collapsed on one side a bunch of times….
im very upset and hope there is a class action suit….
our childs lives were put in danger and thats cold….
Comment by Kathy on 16 August 2009:
I’m also wondering has anyone actually recieved a check yet?? I have a 6month old and am scared to put him in this thing!
Comment by leanne on 19 September 2009:
I have purchased this item as well and like most of the comments here, I have faced the same problem.. the rails are collapsing and its really dangerous!
I am planning to send the parts that they have asked from the RECALL website (www.service-mattel.com) but I dont totally understand what are the exact parts to be sent. PLEASE HELP!!! What are these four parts?
1.
2.
3.
4.
And has anyone received the check?
Comment by LeeAnn on 6 October 2009:
I purchased this item september of 2008. One day I walked into my daughters room to see one side collapsed on her!!!! So I looked around and found that there was a recall on it.
TAKE IT TO BABIES R US THEY GIVE YOU A 135 DOLLAR IN STORE CREDIT I PAID $50 MORE DOLLARS ALONG WITH MY IN STORE CREDIT AND BOUGHT A NICE CHERRY WOOD CRIB!!!!!
Comment by Dulce on 9 October 2009:
yes i recieved the check for $106.99 about 3 weeks ago, i sent in all four sides of the play yard, i got the label in my email – first it went to spam and it was deleted but i called fisher price and they sent me a new label but you have to check your spam folder.
Comment by Tracy on 1 December 2009:
My daughter has been peeling and eating the monkey decals on the inside of the play yard. She can not be left alone in her play yard.
Comment by Melissa on 8 December 2009:
I had spent my babyshower money on this pack and play back in 2008. I didnt really have any problems with it at first. i had it up for a good while but my child never really seemed to wanna be in it very often. but whemn i did have him in it i noticed the one end wouldnt stay up, it kept falling down. i just go tfrustrated i took it down and put it away. well now that he is 19 months old and starting to hit the terrible 2 stage i got it back out. i put it up and it was ok for the first 2 minutes. when i turned around to get his blanket and pillow I heard a thud, I turned back around and the side had collapsed and he fell. now I get online to look up a number to see about gettin it fixed and i see that it has been recalled…….go figure….. now I’m out my money and a pack and play.