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Tesla recall -

In December 2023, Tesla recalled nearly all cars sold in the United States to fix a system that safeguards drives using Autopilot. The move affected nearly two million of Tesla's Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y vehicles built since 2012. But it's not the first time a high-profile motorcar manufacture has been forced to take such drastic action.

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Triumph recall -

Back in 1973, British Leyland launched a massive recall to carry out modifications to the front suspensions of the Triumph Toledo, Triumph 1500, and Triumph Dolomite. In all, a total of 103,000 cars were affected.

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Ford Pinto recall -

Back in the US in June 1978, Ford announced the largest recall in automotive history at the time after 1.5 million of its Pinto models required installation of a modification to reduce the risk of fire. But cars aren't the only products at risk of recall.

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Tylenol recall -

In 1982, Johnson & Johnson spent more than US$100 million for the nationwide recall and relaunch of Tylenol. In what became known as the Chicago Tylenol murders, seven people died after taking the branded painkiller medication, their capsules laced with potassium cyanide. No suspect has been charged or convicted of the poisonings, though James Lewis served more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, demanding US$1 million to "stop the killing." He died in July 2023. Pictured is a drugstore clerk removing Tylenol capsules from the shelves of a New York City pharmacy in September 1982.

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Playmobil Happy Meal toys recall -

November 1982 saw the recall by McDonald's of 10 million Playmobil Happy Meal toys after tests showed the items failed to comply with Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations designed to prevent choking hazards to children under three.

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Intel Pentium processor recall -

A worldwide recall of nearly a million Intel Pentium processors was ordered in 1994 due to the Pentium FDIV bug that caused the chips to incorrectly calculate certain equations.

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Ford cruise control recall -

The 1996 recall of 7.9 million vehicles in the US by Ford for defective ignition switches affected numerous models, including the popular Lincoln Navigator (pictured). The defect could short circuit and start fires in parked vehicles with the engine off because the switch circuit was hot or powered at all times.

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Audi TT Mk1 Coupé and Roadster recall -

Three years later in 1999, German automotive manufacturer Audi announced a worldwide recall of its original Audi TT Mk1 Coupé and Roadster models due to concerns about the cars' high speed stability. The issue was resolved with the retrofitting of a rear spoiler. Pictured is an Audi TT convertible in its original appearance without a rear spoiler.

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Firestone tire recall -

The 2000 recall by Ford of the 6.5 million 15-inch Firestone tires fitted to the Ford Explorer SUV caused such a scandal that it led to the resignation of Ford's CEO at the time, Jacques Nasser.

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Baycol/Lipobay recall -

In August 2001 German pharmaceuticals company Bayer was forced to withdraw the cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol, also branded as Lipobay, after it was linked to the deaths of 31 people in the United States and four in Germany. The recall cost Bayer upwards of €650 million (US$712 million).

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Pan Pharmaceuticals recall -

Pharma took another hit in 2003 when Pan Pharmaceuticals' license was revoked in Australia after some 200 of its therapeutic goods were withdrawn as a result of failures in quality assurance and safety standards. The company went into receivership shortly afterwards.

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Merck Vioxx recall -

The following year, in 2004, Merck voluntarily withdrew Vioxx from the market. In 2017, the Union of Concerned Scientists published a report alleging "scientists from the pharmaceutical giant Merck skewed the results of clinical trials in favor of the arthritis drug, Vioxx, to hide evidence that the drug increased patients' risk of heart attack." Merck's manipulation of its data led to "thousands of avoidable premature deaths and 100,000 heart attacks."

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Pfizer Bextra recall -

Similarly in 2005, Pfizer Inc. agreed to suspend sales of its painkiller Bextra at the request of the Food and Drug Administration after concerns were raised about serious cardiovascular risks, as well as serious skin reactions associated with the drug.

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Sudan I recall -

In a massive recall in 2005, the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) pulled from the shelves over 600 food products contaminated by the illegal red food dye Sudan I. The FSA warned Sudan I's ingredient was potentially carcinogenic. Products in Canada were also recalled.

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Cadbury chocolate bars recall -

Over a million Cadbury Schweppes chocolate bars were removed from shelves around the United Kingdom and Ireland in June 2006 after fears that they may be contaminated with salmonella. The recall cost the company £20 million (US$20.5 million).

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Dell notebook computer batteries recall -

After several instances where batteries made by Sony overheated or caught fire, Dell recalled in 2006 over four million notebook computer batteries, mostly from its Inspiron, XPS, and Precision Mobile Workstation models. Most of the defective notebooks were sold in the United States. However, some one million faulty batteries were identified elsewhere in the world.

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Sanlu milk products recall -

In China in 2008, one of the country's largest dairy firms warned the public that its milk food had been contaminated with a chemical called melamine. Subsequently, Sanlu recalled 700 tonnes of milk powder after hospitals in Gansu province, in north-west China, reported 59 cases of kidney stones in infants. By 2009, 300,000 affected children had been identified, among which 54,000 were hospitalized. Six babies died after being given contaminated milk.

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Hallmark/Westland meat recall -

In another 2008 food-related incident, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recalled 143 million pounds (648 kg) of processed frozen beef (the largest beef recall in US history) from the Westland/Hallmark processor in Southern California due to cattle not being inspected before slaughter. Pictured is a security guard pulling the gates shut to the facility.

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Peanut Corp. of America products recall -

In one of the most extensive food recalls in US history, thousands of peanut paste products manufactured by Peanut Corp. of America (PCA) and contaminated with salmonella were withdrawn in 2009 after food-borne illness sickened thousands and likely killed nine. PCA later declared bankruptcy and went out business. The company's CEO, Stewart Parnell, was sentenced in 2015 to 28 years in prison for his role in the scandal.

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Toyota floor mat/gas pedal recall -

January 2010 saw Toyota announcing recalls of approximately 5.2 million vehicles to redesign ill-fitting floor mats that trapped gas pedals. Three months later, the manufacturer recalled a further 4.1 million cars due to a fault with the gas pedals themselves.

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SlingRider/Wendy Bellissimo recall -

After concerns were raised in 2010 about child safety, Infantino recalled one million SlingRider and Wendy Bellissimo baby slings in the US and 15,000 in Canada. Consumers had been urged to immediately stop using these slings for infants younger than four months of age due to a risk of suffocation.

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Takata air bag recall -

The Takata air bag recall of 2013 was so widespread it actually bankrupted the company. In what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) described as "the largest and most complex safety recall in US history," vehicles made by 19 different automakers (34 brands) were recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver's side or passenger's side after it was revealed that some of those airbags could deploy explosively, injuring and even killing car occupants. In fact, a number of deaths did occur as a result of the defect. As of 2023, millions of airbags have still yet to be replaced worldwide.

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General Motors ignition switch recall -

Incredibly, 10 years after the defect was first detected, General Motors in 2014 finally got around to implementing sweeping recalls for several models suspected of having a faulty switch that automatically turns the car's engine off and prevents air bags from deploying—while it's being driven and without warning. Thirty million cars worldwide were recalled, and GM compensated claimants for 124 deaths, amounting to a total of US$4.1 billion in costs.

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Volkswagen diesel engine recall -

In what became known as the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the German automobile manufacturer was accused in 2015 of cheating on diesel-emissions tests. It did this by installing manipulated emissions software. The fallout was huge and garnered worldwide attention. In the end, VW recalled 11 million vehicles around the world and was forced to set aside more than US$18 billion to cover recall costs, legal claims, and other related expenses.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall -

In another case of dodgy electrics, Samsung in 2016 was forced to recall 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones due to batteries catching fire or exploding during charging—just two weeks after the device's worldwide launch.

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IKEA marshmallow candy recall -

The recall in February 2018 by IKEA of its own marshmallow candy after possible bacteria contamination from rodent infestation was followed in July by the withdrawal of pet water dispensers due to a suffocation hazard to animals.

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Hotpoint/Indesit washing machine recall -

After identifying a risk of fire due to a defective door locking mechanism, Whirlpool in the United Kingdom and Ireland announced in 2019 a recall for certain Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines manufactured between 2014 and 2018.

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Sesame seed recall -

The unauthorized inclusion of ethylene oxide in products with sesame seeds provoked a 2020 Europe-wide recall of all foodstuffs using or containing sesame seeds contaminated with the substance. When inhaled, ethylene oxide is carcinogenic to humans.

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Honda SUV recall -

In 2021, Honda issued a major recall of 789,000 SUVs and pickup trucks because the hood could open by itself while the car was in motion, heightening the risk of an accident. The recall covered certain Honda Passport (pictured) and Pilot models.

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Häagen-Dazs ice cream recall -

In 2022, the FSA recalled certain batches of Häagen-Dazs ice cream across Europe due to the detection of 2-Chloroethanol, a recognized reaction product of aforementioned ethylene oxide that is not permitted for use in foods sold in the European Union.

Sources: (CNBC) (CPSC) (Business Insider) (Auto Safety) (The Guardian) (Union of Concerned Scientists) (Department of Justice) (FSA) (Food Navigator) (CNN) (Consumer Reports) (Car and Driver)  (Food Safety News) (Irish Examiner)   

See also: Everyday foods you didn't know could kill you

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