From the food in your fridge to the appliances in your home to the car in your driveway, recalls touch everyday life, but the warnings don't always reach us in time. It takes time for the investigators to kind of put the pieces of the puzzle together. Teresa Murray is the consumer watchdog for the US Public Interest Research Group. She walked us through the timeline of *** typical food recall. It can take several weeks between the time that somebody gets sick and goes. To *** medical provider and then the time that the CDC identifies the source and there's enough information to say, Aha, OK, it's that particular brand of that particular product. For things like vehicles and consumer products, Murray says it can take months, even years, as regulators and companies negotiate over fixes. The consequences of those delays can be deadly. Last week, the US government released *** warning about *** popular Fisher Price baby. In 2019, Fisher Price recalled its rock and place sleeper after more than 30 infant deaths since its 2009 release. *** House Oversight report found the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission knew of fatalities and injuries as early as 2012. Since the recall, the CPSC says 70 more deaths have been reported, including eight after the announcement prompting *** re-announcement in 2023. Our recall notifications. I mean this country absolutely stinks, and unfortunately there's not one single policy solution that would just fix everything. I mean, we all need to do better. So what can you do before you buy anything? Check safeerproducts.gov. That's the CPSC site where you can file and read complaints. You can search by brand and search by kind of by product. You can say, gosh, there have been like dozens of complaints, and that might give you *** clue. Maybe you should try and look for *** different brand. Register big ticket items, especially baby gear like car seats and strollers, so companies can contact you if *** recall happens. For vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has *** tool on its website that lets you search for recalls associated with your vehicle identification number, otherwise known as VIN. Finally, sign up for recall alerts by visiting this site, recalls.gov. And Murray recommends making recall checks part of your weekly routine. Reporting in Washington, I'm Annie Lou.
Recalls often come too late. Here's how to stay safe
Delays in the recall process can leave dangerous products in homes and on roads for weeks or years. Learn how to stay informed and protect your family.
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Updated: 10:02 AM CDT Sep 9, 2025
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Recalls are meant to protect consumers, but delays in the system often leave dangerous products in homes, on store shelves and on the road long after risks are identified.Teresa Murray, who directs the Consumer Watchdog office for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, explains that food recalls can take weeks to process. “It can take several weeks between the time that somebody gets sick and goes to a medical provider, and then the time that the CDC identifies the source and there was enough information to say, ‘Aha, OK, it’s that particular brand of that particular product,’” she said. For vehicles and consumer products, Murray says the timeline can stretch into months or even years as regulators and companies negotiate fixes. The consequences of these delays can be deadly, and Murray noted Fisher-Price's recall of its Rock 'n Play Sleeper as a recent example. In 2019, the sleeper was recalled after more than 30 infant deaths were linked to the product since its 2009 release. A House Committee on Oversight and Reform report revealed the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission were aware of fatalities and injuries as early as 2012. Since the recall, the CPSC says 70 more deaths have been reported, including eight after the announcement, prompting another announcement of the recall in 2023. “Our recall notification system in this country absolutely stinks,” said Murray. “And unfortunately, there’s not one single policy solution that would just fix everything. I mean, we all need to do better — manufacturers, distributors, stores, government, regulators and consumers.”What can you do? Check for complaints Before making any major purchases, Murray recommends checking saferproducts.gov, the Consumer Product Safety Commission's database. This site allows you to report dangerous products and read consumer complaints. If you search for a product and notice multiple complaints about the same issue, that can be a sign to look for a safer alternative. Register products when possibleIf you recently bought a product that comes with registration paperwork, fill that out so manufacturers can identify and contact you faster in the event of a recall. This is especially important for children’s products, like car seats and strollers, and for appliances that could pose fire hazards.Search vehicle recalls Notices for vehicle recalls typically go out by mail. To be proactive, you can use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s VIN search tool on its website. Enter your vehicle identification number — usually found on the driver’s side dashboard or inside the driver’s side door — and you will see if your specific car has an open recall.Sign up for recall alertsBecause recalls are spread across multiple government agencies — the CPSC for consumer products, the NHTSA for vehicles, and both the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration for food, depending on jurisdiction — information can be fragmented. Recalls.gov pulls everything together in one place. You can browse the latest recalls or sign up for email alerts. Murray suggests making recall checks part of a weekly routine, just like scanning headlines or checking the weather.
Recalls are meant to protect consumers, but delays in the system often leave dangerous products in homes, on store shelves and on the road long after risks are identified.
Teresa Murray, who directs the Consumer Watchdog office for the , explains that food recalls can take weeks to process. “It can take several weeks between the time that somebody gets sick and goes to a medical provider, and then the time that the CDC identifies the source and there was enough information to say, ‘Aha, OK, it’s that particular brand of that particular product,’” she said. For vehicles and consumer products, Murray says the timeline can stretch into months or even years as regulators and companies negotiate fixes.
The consequences of these delays can be deadly, and Murray noted Fisher-Price's recall of its Rock 'n Play Sleeper as a recent example. In 2019, after more than 30 infant deaths were linked to the product since its 2009 release. A revealed the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission were aware of fatalities and injuries as early as 2012. Since the recall, the CPSC says 70 more deaths have been reported, including eight after the announcement, .
“Our recall notification system in this country absolutely stinks,” said Murray. “And unfortunately, there’s not one single policy solution that would just fix everything. I mean, we all need to do better — manufacturers, distributors, stores, government, regulators and consumers.”
What can you do?
Check for complaints
Before making any major purchases, Murray recommends checking , the Consumer Product Safety Commission's database. This site allows you to report dangerous products and read consumer complaints. If you search for a product and notice multiple complaints about the same issue, that can be a sign to look for a safer alternative.
Register products when possible
If you recently bought a product that comes with registration paperwork, fill that out so manufacturers can identify and contact you faster in the event of a recall. This is especially important for children’s products, like car seats and strollers, and for appliances that could pose fire hazards.
Search vehicle recalls
Notices for vehicle recalls typically go out by mail. To be proactive, you can use the on its website. Enter your vehicle identification number — usually found on the driver’s side dashboard or inside the driver’s side door — and you will see if your specific car has an open recall.
Sign up for recall alerts
Because recalls are spread across multiple government agencies — the CPSC for consumer products, the NHTSA for vehicles, and both the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration for food, depending on jurisdiction — information can be fragmented. pulls everything together in one place. You can browse the latest recalls or sign up for email alerts. Murray suggests making recall checks part of a weekly routine, just like scanning headlines or checking the weather.
