In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Mountain High Hosiery Ltd. of San Diego is recalling 360,000 pairs of Tommy Hilfiger socks for infants and children because their flag logo appliques can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Mountain High received three reports of appliques detaching but no reports of injuries.

Department and specialty stores nationwide sold two-pair packages of the socks from January 1999 through January 2000 for about $10.

For an exchange or refund, call Mountain High at (877) 729-4916 or access its Web site at www.mtnhighinc.com.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nordstrom Inc. of Seattle is recalling 2,250 infants’ and toddlers’ jackets because the snaps on the flap pockets can detach, presenting a choking hazard to young children.

No injuries have been reported.

The recalled garments are pink or blue gingham fabric with a hood and flap pockets in infant sizes 6 months through 24 months and toddler sizes 2T through 4T. Nordstrom stores nationwide sold the jackets during January for $34 to $36.

Consumers should return these jackets to any Nordstrom store for a refund. For more information, call Nordstrom at (800) 695-8000.

Manhattan Group LLC of Minneapolis is recalling 3,400 pull toys because the wooden wheels and pegs attached to the toys can detach, presenting a choking hazard to young children.

Manhattan Group has not received any injury reports.

The recalled toys are:

• Enchanted Garden Inchworm, item EG150, with red, blue and yellow round fabric sections sewn together.

• Merry Meadows Cow, item FS150, made of white plush fabric with black spots sewn onto the white fabric.

• Sunny Safari Blue Elephant, item SS150, featuring light blue with royal blue fabric on the tail, feet and ears.

Specialty stores and gift shops nationwide sold the $20 items from July through December 1999.

Consumers should return these toys to the store where purchased for a refund or exchange them for another soft toy. For more information, call Manhattan Group at (800) 541-1345.

Action Performance Companies Inc. of Phoenix is recalling 1,600 illuminated race car panels because the units’ fluorescent light base becomes extremely hot and can melt, presenting a fire hazard.

The company has received no reports of injuries.

The race car is etched into a glass panel that sits in a black plastic base equipped with a fluorescent light and plug. The available glass panels include the Tony Stewart Home Depot Car, Jeff Gordon DuPont Car, Dale Earnhardt GM Goodwrench Car and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Car.

Specialty stores nationwide sold the collectibles during December 1999 for about $75.

Consumers should call Action Performance Companies at (888) 810-4057 to receive a free replacement base. Consumers also can access the company’s Web site at www.goracing.com or write to Action Performance Companies at 4707 E. Baseline Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040.

Prometheus International Inc. of Bell, Calif., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is recalling 4,000 novelty lighters because they lack child-resistant mechanisms.

CPSC and Prometheus International Inc. have received no reports of accidents or injuries involving these lighters.

The Intruder model lighter looks like a miniature propane or scuba tank. The Jupiter model lighter is shaped like a gun.

Tobacco stores nationwide sold these lighters from March 1997 through February 1999 for $50 to $75. The company advertised these lighters on its Web site at www.prometheuskkp.com.

Consumers should return these items for a free replacement lighter with a child-resistant mechanism. For more information, call Prometheus at (800) 229-5233.

Dynacraft Industries Inc. of San Rafael, Calif., is recalling 19,000 mountain bikes because the front suspension forks can break apart, resulting in serious injury to the rider.

Dynacraft has received eight reports of injuries to riders, including cuts, bruises, back strain, and chipped and lost teeth.

The “Vertical XL2” mountain bikes have chrome-colored frames. The model name is on the bike frame in yellow and black lettering. Only bikes with the date code “99.10.11” are part of the recall. The date code and “Model No. 8526-26” are on a label affixed to the frame near the crank.

Target stores nationwide sold these bikes from November 1999 through February 2000 for about $140.

Consumers should return these bikes to the store where purchased for a free replacement fork or a free replacement bike. For more information or to receive a replacement fork by mail, call Dynacraft Industries Inc. at (800) 551-0032.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Cadet Manufacturing Co. of Vancouver, Wash., are recalling 1.9 million Cadet and Encore brand in-wall electric heaters because they can overheat and catch fire.

CPSC has received more than 320 reports of heaters that smoked, sparked, caught fire, emitted flames, or ejected burning particles or molten materials. These incidents reportedly have resulted in three deaths, two serious burn injuries and property damage claims exceeding $1.2 million, including five house fires.

CPSC alleges that the following Cadet and Encore brand in-wall electric heaters — distributed mainly in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington — are defective and can overheat and catch fire: models FW, FX, LX, TK, ZA, Z, RA, RK, RLX, RX and ZC. The brand and model are on a label on the front of the heat box, behind the grill. Before removing the grill to check the identification label, consumers must disconnect the power supply to the heater at the circuit breaker to avoid possible shock or electrocution.

Cadet is offering consumers replacement heaters at a reduced cost of $25 to $57. Consumers who have replaced the recalled units can file a claim for reimbursement of $25 per heater. Consumers must register to participate in this recall by Feb. 17, 2002. To register, contact Cadet at (800) 567-2613 or at www.cadetco.com/recallprogram.html.

The start of daylight-saving time on April 2 (for most of the country) serves as a reminder for consumers to test smoke detectors and change the batteries.

More than 3,700 people die each year in residential fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). And while 90% of U.S. homes have smoke detectors installed, a CPSC survey found the detectors in 20% of the households were not working. In most cases, the cause was a dead or missing battery.

Even long-life smoke detectors with 10-year batteries should be tested.

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