Consumer Safety: Firm recalls 125,000 faulty Peloton Tread+ Treadmills, admits negligence

*Peloton Interactive recalls products, noting adult users, children, pets and objects can be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill when in use

*I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the regulators’ request to recall the defective products ─John Foley, Chief Executive Officer of Peloton

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

Peloton Interactive of New York is recalling about 125,000 Peloton Tread+ Treadmills.

Adult users, children, pets and objects can be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill, posing a risk of injury or death.

ConsumerConnect had reported that a 6-year-old child recently died after being pulled under the rear of the treadmill from the company.

Besides, the firm has received 72 fresh reports of adult users, children, pets and/or objects being pulled under the rear of the treadmill, including 29 reports of injuries to children such as second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations.

This current recall involves the Peloton Tread+ treadmill with model number TR01.

The company stated the affected product has a running deck space of 67 inches, a 32-inch high definition (HD) touchscreen and a slatted belt.

It was gathered the treadmill brand was launched as the Peloton Tread in 2018, but renamed Tread+ September 2020.

The Tread + model number TR01 is printed on a black sticker located on the end cap in the front of the treadmill deck, report stated.

The treadmills have a touchscreen and are black with the Peloton logo on the monitor and the side rails.

The treadmills, manufactured in Taiwan, were sold online at onepeloton.com and at Peloton showrooms from September 2018, through April 2021, for about $4,295.

As regards what to do in this regard, the firm urges consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Tread+ and contact Peloton for a full refund until November 6, 2022. Consumers who return the Tread+ treadmill after that date will receive a partial refund.

Peloton is offering consumers who do not want a refund the option of moving the Tread+ free of charge to a room where children or pets cannot access the treadmill, and is implementing software improvements to the product to automatically lock the Tread+ after each use and prevent unauthorised access by assigning a 4-digit passcode that will be required to unlock the Tread+.

Meanwhile, affected consumers may contact Peloton toll-free on (844) 410-0141 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekends, or online at www.onepeloton.com for more information.

Peloton Interactive admits delay in recalling defective products earlier

Peloton recalls all of its treadmills following numerous injury reports and one child death, and it admitted that it was a mistake not to recall the products earlier

Recently, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an urgent warning to owners of the company’s treadmill.

The regulatory agency said its staff concluded, that following an investigation, that the Peloton Tread+ poses “serious risks to children for abrasions, fractures, and death.”

However, Peloton said information in the CPSC press release about the incidents was “inaccurate and misleading.”

Yet, in belatedly announcing the recall Wednesday, May 5, 2021, Peloton said it was “a mistake” to refuse the agency’s original request to recall the faulty product.

John Foley, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Peloton, said: “I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the CPSC’s request.

“We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologise.”