Did you hear?… Fitness Quest Gazelle models recalled due to fall hazard

About 154,000 Fitness Quest Gazelle Freestyle Crosstrainers and Crosstrainer Pro Gilders have been recalled because resistance pistons on the glider can come off and a person could fall from the machine.

The voluntary action announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in cooperation with Fitness Quest affects machines sold starting in January 2004 for between $200 and $250 by the Home Shopping Network, The Shopping Channel and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“Fitness Quest has sold millions of its aerobic gliders over a 10-plus year period,” Mike Clark, company vice president, told SNEWS®. “The track record for safety has been fantastic. The recall/corrective action plan recently announced relates to one special makeup SKU, which represents a very small percentage of the total number of aerobic gliders sold.”

He said most of the units, which were made in China and Thailand, had been sold on TV direct-to-consumer. The company has received 145 reports of pistons detaching and only one report of a minor injury from a fall, the CPSC stated. Clark said Fitness Quest had proposed to the CPSC a repair kit to retrofit affected models, which was approved by the commission. Models sold after January 2006 came with the kits to remedy the problem with the pistons.

“While Fitness Quest never enjoys having to announce a corrective action plan,” Clark said, “when circumstances arise that warrant one, Fitness Quest voluntarily accepts the responsibility.”

To see the CPSC announcement and pictures, click here.