3M Peltor X4 Series Earmuffs Recall Issued Over Failures of Noise-Reducing Functions

Recalled 3M earmuffs may be defective and noise-reduction features may fail, exposing users to a risk of hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear problems

Around 40,000 3M earmuffs sold in the U.S and Canada have been recalled by the manufacturer, due to a risk that design defects may expose users to a risk of hearing loss from loud noises and sounds.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the  3M Peltor Series Earmuffs recall on April 25,  warning that problems with the noise-reducing earmuff’s can defeat its noise-cancelling features.

The recalled earmuffs are used for hearing protection in industrial and occupational settings. The earmuffs can be worn over the head, behind the head, or attached to a hat.

According to the recall notice, the manufacturer, 3M Company, has discovered that the earmuffs can develop cracks in the colored portion of the plastic cups, which can compromise their protective features, leading to consumers being unexpectedly exposed to loud noises they though the earmuffs protected them from.

Overexposure to loud sounds and noises from the defective 3M earmuffs may lead to hearing loss and tinnitus. However, 3M indicates it has not yet received any injury or incident reports linked to the problem.

3M Peltor Earmuff Recall

The recall affects 3M’s Peltor X4 series earmuffs manufactured from March 2020 until September 2022. The recalled products are black with green or orange accents. 3M PELTOR is stamped on the outside of these earcups along with the manufacture date.

The earmuffs were sold through industrial distributors nationwide and online at Amazon.com from May 2023 to June 2023, priced between $16 and $26. The recall affects 40,000 earmuffs sold in the U.S., as well as an additional 6,700 sold in Canada.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled earmuffs immediately and to contact 3M to receive a replacement pair at no additional cost by calling the 3M Technical Service Team at 800-243-4630 or by going online to https://www.3m.com/X4-Peltor-Earmuff-Recall or www.peltor.com.

3M Hearing Protection Equipment Problems

The recall is just the latest problem 3M has had with noise-protection equipment, coming only a few months after resolving more than 200,000 earplug lawsuits brought by former and current U.S. service members, who suffered hearing loss and tinnitus due to defective Combat Arms Earplugs, which were used as standard issue military equipment in the U.S. from 2003 until 2015.

Following a series of early bellwether trials that resulted in massive damage awards, and a failed bankruptcy attempt, 3M finally agreed to a $6 billion earplug settlement agreement, which was finalized earlier this year.