Fix Authorized for Peloton Tread+ That Killed Child, Injured Nearly 100
Editors carefully fact-check all Consumer Notice, LLC content for accuracy and quality.
Consumer Notice, LLC has a stringent fact-checking process. It starts with our strict sourcing guidelines.
We only gather information from credible sources. This includes peer-reviewed medical journals, reputable media outlets, government reports, court records and interviews with qualified experts.
Two years after a child was killed in an accident involving Peloton’s Tread+, officials have authorized a rear safety guard repair to make the recalled treadmill safer. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Peloton Interactive announced the repair in May.
“The approved rear guard repair eliminates the potential for entrapment near the rear roller of the treadmill,” the announcement stated. “The rear guard repair features a breakaway design that pivots away from the treadmill when it comes into contact with a person or object, shutting off power to the unit and decelerating the belt.”
Officials said the guard for the Peloton Tread+ is still being manufactured and not yet available. Consumers can register in advance for a fall 2023 delivery, according to the CPSC.
Peloton Tread+ Recall
The machine was originally named the Peloton Tread when it was released in 2018, but renamed Tread+ in September 2020. In May 2021, the CPSC and Peloton recalled 125,000 Tread+ machines after a 6-year-old child was killed. The details of the child’s death were not released.
“While we are aware of only a small handful of incidents involving the Tread+ where children have been hurt, each one is devastating to all of us at Peloton, and our hearts go out to the families involved,” Peloton’s then-CEO John Foley said in a March 2021 statement.
Foley urged consumers to keep children and pets away from Peloton equipment at all times and once done using the equipment to remove the safety key, storing it out of reach of children when the machine is not in use. Instructors now begin each run with a similar warning.
In May 2021, consumers were urged to stop using the Peloton Tread+ and offered a refund or an opportunity to have the machine moved to another room in the house free of charge. Consumers seeking a refund have until Nov. 6 to claim one. Any equipment returned after that date will receive a partial refund, according to the CPSC.
Peloton released this photo with its safety notice detailing the fix for the treadmill.
Exposed Roller Poses Safety Risk
The Peloton Tread+ was slightly elevated and had an exposed running belt, which allowed objects, humans and animals to get caught in the belt and pulled under the machine. A search of the CPSC’s public database showed numerous reports of people and pets being injured by the Tread+ in 2021.
- In March 2021, a parent said their 3-year-old son reportedly suffered brain damage after becoming trapped under the Tread+.
- Another report that month alleges a small puppy was sucked under the treadmill belt and injured.
- In June, a 7-year-old was injured after standing on the sideboards while the machine was on, losing his balance and being pulled under.
- In July that year, a woman reportedly fell while using the machine and was dragged under and trapped.
Since the recall was announced, another 279 incidents were reported with 61 additional reports of injuries, according to the CPSC. To date, in addition to the child’s death, Peloton has received 351 reports of “pull-unders,” including 90 reports of injuries. Consumers may register for the free repair online.