Peloton Treadmill Recall Comes After Child Death, Injury Reports, Public Pressure
Following mounting public pressure amid reports of injuries and at least one child death, Peloton has recalled about 150,000 treadmills, which feature a dangerous design that may allow children or pets to get pulled under the rear roller of the machine.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Peloton Tread+ Treadmill recall on May 5, after the manufacturer previously resisted removing the product from the market.
In a rare move, the CPSC independently issued warnings about the Peloton treadmill risks on April 17, urging consumers to stop using the products if they have pets or young children. At that time, the agency indicated 39 injuries had been reported in connection with a design which may allow children or pets to become trapped, pinned and pulled under the rear of the treadmill. While most instances resulting in abrasions or bone fractures, at least one six-year-old child’s death was blamed on the design.
According to the manufacturer’s recall notice issued this week, the number of reported injuries is now up to 72, after children or other bystanders were pulled under the rear of the treadmill. In addition to the one death, at least 29 reports involve children who suffered broken bones, lacerations and second or third degree abrasions.
The CPSC has posted a video of a young boy who is playing with a ball near a Peloton Treadmill, which was sucked under the rear roller. As the child attempts to pull the ball from under the moving treadmill, his arms become pinned under the device, just before it drags him under.
After initially denying there were problems with the design, Peloton officials now acknowledge they erred in not issuing the recall sooner.
“I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+. We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset,” Peloton CEO John Foley said in a CPSC press release. “For that, I apologize.”
The recall affects the Peloton Tread+ treadmill, model number TR01. The recalled treadmills have a running deck space of 67 inches, as well as a 32-inch high definition (HD) touchscreen. They were originally named the Peloton Tread when released in 2018, but were renamed the Peloton Tread+ in 2020. The model number can be found on a black sticker on the end cap placed in the front of the treadmill deck.
Around 125,000 of the affected treadmills were sold online at onepeloton.com and in Peloton showrooms from September 2018 through April 2021, for about $4,295 each.
In addition, the CPSC announced a second, smaller, Peloton Tread treadmill recall, affecting 1,050 units sold in the U.S., and another 5,400 sold in Canada. Those products have a model number of TR02, and a running space of 59 inches and a 23.8-inch high definition (HD) touchscreen. The CPSC warns the touchscreen on these units can detach and fall off, and have been linked to reports of minor injuries, cuts and abrasions.
Late last month, a Peloton class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, presenting claims for breach of warranty, violation of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, violation of the state’s business and professional code, and unlawful business acts against Peloton Interactive, Inc. The plaintiff seeks damages for herself and other owners of the treadmills, who paid thousands of dollars for the machines, as well as large subscription fees.
The CPSC and Peloton recommend consumers who have purchased a Peloton Tread+ treadmill should immediately stop using it and contact Peloton for a full refund or other qualified remedy. Consumers with questions can call Peloton at 866-679-9129 or visit the website at www.onepeloton.com and click Product Recalls at the bottom of the page.