Michelin North America has issued a defective product recall on thousands of their medium truck tires because of issues with their casings. According to a news report in Tire Review, the defective tire recall involves 77,775 tires and also extends to 37,000 retreated tires throughout the United States and Canada. Officials with The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) state that the tires have a casing that can experience rapid air loss. These potentially dangerous tires are primarily used on city transit buses putting thousands of riders across the country in danger. It is unclear if anyone has been injured as a result of these tire defects.

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Specialized Bicycle Components Inc., a California-based company, has issued a defective product recall for bicycle brake levers. According to a news report in The Washington Post, The Tektro TL-83 brake levers sold with 2010 and 2011 S-Works Shiv bicycle frame modules and 2012 S-Works Shiv TT bicycle frame modules can become non-operational. Officials say the adjuster cap and brake cable can slide out of position causing the rider to lose control.

So far, one incident has been reported where the rider lost function of both brakes. There have been no reports of serious injuries as a result of this defect. The brakes, which were manufactured in China, were sold at authorized and specialized bicycle components retailers from April 2010 to February 2012. For more information, please contact Specialized at 1-877-808-8154.

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Gilbert Santos, 32, was killed in a Los Angeles motorcycle accident when his Honda CBR 250 crashed into a metal guardrail. According to a news report in Baldwin Park Patch, the collision occurred along the 134 Freeway near Glendale, the morning of April 29, 2012. Officials say the Baldwin Park resident was traveling west at an unknown speed when his motorcycle veered out of control and hit the guardrail. He was ejected and suffered fatal wounds. The cause of the crash remains under investigation and officials are requesting information from anyone who may have witnessed the accident.

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Gilbert Santos and his many friends who will mourn this loss.

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Multistrada Arah Sarana issued a defective product recall for more than 36,000 light truck tires because sidewall defects can cause them to lose air and increase the risk of a car accident. According to a CBS news report, the 16-inch tires were sold under the name of Achilles Desert Hawk and Radar Radial RLT-9. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the Achilles tires can develop blisters on the side. The Radar tires have a defective sidewall design that could lead to tread separation. Both tires are at risk for deflating suddenly. The company says so far no crashes or injuries have been reported as a result of these defects. The defective tires will be replaced at no charge to owners. Both tires have been redesigned to fix the problem. If you have questions or concerns about these product defects, please contact the company at (800) 944-8414.

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Fifteen-year-old Sonya De Anda Martinez and 6-year-old Jesus De Anda Martinez, were killed in a San Bernardino car accident after the Ford Explorer SUV in which they were traveling blew a tire, went out of control and rolled over. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the parents, identified as 40-year-old David D. Chavez and Luz M. Chavarria, 35, of Las Vegas, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

California Highway Patrol officials say the 1998 Ford Explorer was traveling on the Interstate 15 near Baker, the morning of April 29, 2012, when the left rear tire deflated. Chavez, who was driving, veered rapidly to the right across traffic lanes and the right shoulder. The Explorer became airborne and rolled down a 25-foot dirt embankment. Two passengers were ejected.

I offer my deepest condolence to the family members of these two children, especially the grieving parents. Tragic! Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. I also wish the injured parents the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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A driver in Cobb County, Georgia, reported that the side airbags in his Honda deployed suddenly and without warning as he was driving the vehicle. So far, Honda has not issued any recalls for these particular airbag defects. However, WSBTV in Georgia reports that 24-year-old Shane Kurth is not the first one to report inadvertent deployment of side curtain airbags in Honda vehicles.

According to the news report, Kurth was heading to chiropractic school and driving 65 mph on Interstate 285 when his driver’s side airbag deployed for no apparent reason and hit him on the side of his head. Kurth initially thought he had been hit by another vehicle, but soon realized that wasn’t the case. Fortunately, he was able to maintain control of the car. WSBTV reports that Kurth’s story, while frightening, is not unique. The report says there have been dozens of similar complaints about various Honda models. Another Georgia driver, Chris Androvic, also complained in October 2011 after his airbags deployed while the car was in motion and had not been hit.

No Recalls Yet

So far Honda officials have not issued an auto defect recall in connection with these airbags. Six months ago, the Japanese automaker released a statement that the airbag deployments have not been linked to a common condition or defect. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet opened an investigation into this matter. So far, it is not known if any injuries have been reported.

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Even as two Wisconsin women, 22 and 33, filed a food poisoning lawsuit after suffering a bout of salmonella infection from contaminated sushi, a controversy has erupted over the use of “Nakaochi Scrape” or backmeat that is scraped off fish bones for use in sushi. According to a Reuters news report, the backmeat is added to products such as yellowfin tuna that is used in sushi. California-based Moon Marine USA has recalled 59,000 pounds of raw, ground yellowfin tuna from India, which was packaged as “Nakaochi Scrape AA” or “AAA.”

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Juan Alfredo Perez, 32, was killed in a Riverside County car accident after his Ford Expedition SUV overturned and crashed. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, the SUV rollover accident occurred along Interstate 10 near Thousand Palms. Perez was ejected when the 1999 Ford Expedition overturned during the early morning hours of April 23, 2012. It is unclear what caused him to lose control of the vehicle or why the vehicle rolled over. Officials suspect the driver may have been traveling at a high rate of speed.

My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Juan Alfredo Perez following this terrible rollover accident. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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Thomas Abdoyan, 28, of Burbank, was killed in a San Juan Capistrano car accident after the vehicle he was driving went out of control and crashed near Pacific Coast Highway. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal car accident occurred during the early morning hours of April 22, 2012 on the northbound side of the Interstate 5 close to Capistrano Beach.

According to California Highway Patrol officials, the 2006 Mini Cooper that Abdoyan was driving careened into the center median and rolled over several times before coming to rest on its roof about 650 feet from the first point of impact. Abdoyan went into cardiac arrest and died shortly afterward at the hospital. The 29-year-old male passenger sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Both were wearing their seatbelts at the time. Officials are still investigating the cause of this fatal accident.

I offer my deepest sympathies to everybody who knew and loved Thomas Abdoyan for their terrible loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. My heart also goes out to the passenger who was injured. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

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A defective product recall has been issued for nearly 90,000 STOK gas grills due to fire hazards. According to a news report in Consumer Affairs, there have so far been 569 reports of the regulators on the grill leaking propane gas. The propane leak at the regulators of these grills can could ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. The recall involves STOK Island and STOK Quattro gas grills. The grills were sold by Home Depot stores nationwide and in Canada and Direct Tools Factory Outlet stores nationwide from March 2011 through February 2012 for between $79 and $350. The defective grills were manufactured in China. Consumers are asked to immediately stop using the recalled grills and contact One World Technologies at (800) 867-9624.

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