Tylenol, Galaxy Note 7, car parts behind major product recalls
What are the biggest product recalls ever? How to report a product for recall
Here are ten of the largest product recalls in American history. Here’s how to report a product for recall.
Online retailers and resale marketplaces are riddled with products deemed unsafe by the federal watchdog agency tasked with issuing recalls, consumer advocates say.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued 64 safety warnings in 2024, the vast majority of them for products sold online. When consumers buy dangerous products, sometimes with deadly consequences, it can be difficult to get accountability. Many of the manufacturers are overseas, out of the reach of the U.S. justice system.
Here are 10 of the biggest product recalls in American history, as reported by USA TODAY. You probably won’t find most of them online, but other dangerous products could be lurking in digital marketplaces.
Poisoned Tylenol
In 1982, Johnson & Johnson’s recalled Tylenol when seven people died after taking some of the painkillers that had been laced with cyanide. The deaths resulted in a nationwide panic and led to the creation of newer, tamper-proof packaging for Tylenol and other over-the-counter medications.
Salmonella in peanuts
In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traced a salmonella outbreak to a peanut roasting plant in Blakely, Georgia run by the Peanut Corporation of America. Nine people died and 714 people fell ill, USA TODAY reported.
New Toyota pedals
At least 10.2 million Toyota cars in the U.S. and 12.4 million worldwide were recalled in 2010. The pedals in the cars were shorter than the ones in previous Toyota vehicles. The automaker paid more than $66 million in fines for the recalls.
GM’s faulty ignition switches
Faulty ignition switches that led to a 2014 recall left at least 124 people dead and 275 injured in some cars made by General Motors at the time. The defective switches caused vehicles to stall and GM recalled more than 2.7 million vehicles in 2014. The company has paid more than $2 billion in fines and settlements.
Pfizer’s Bextra tablet
In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration forced Pfizer to take its anti-inflammatory drug Bextra off the shelves because of possible heart risks associated with it. The FDA also charged the company with illegally making the drug and Pfizer settled for $2.3 billion.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
In 2016, Samsung recalled 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 devices after reports that its batteries were catching fire. The defect cost Samsung as much as $2 billion, The Japan Times reported at the time. The recall is often considered one of the biggest tech blunders of all time.
Firestone tires
In 2000, Firestone recalled millions of tires following a finding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s that its ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires suffered problems causing the treads to separate. At least 271 deaths were attributed to the defect.
Arthritis pill Vioxx
In 2004, drugmaker Merck recalled a prescription arthritis and pain medication called Vioxx after a study showed that the drug raised the risk of heart attack and stroke. The drug itself is thought to have contributed to more than 27,000 heart attacks.
Volkswagen diesel engines
In 2015, Volkswagen recalled around 11 million cars worldwide after the Environmental Protection AGgency accused the company of deliberately rigging vehicles with a device and software to defeat testing for Clean Air Act testing. Volkswagen spent an estimated $7 billion to fix affected cars.
Defective airbags
In 2008, the largest automotive recall in history occurred when Takata Corp. air bags in several brands of cars were found to be defective. Impacted brands included those made by BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. At least 10 deaths were attributed to the defective air bags.
