As you may know we had a new addition to our family in February. We purchaased a 'Travel System' from Toys'r'us and below is the email I sent to their customer service team.
After checking on the internet it appear to be a common problem that has been ongoing since before 2004!!
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
So as you will see this time I sent a copy to Watchdog.
***********
As I have not received any form of acknowledgment from you in respect to this important issue detailed below originally sent to you on Thursday 10th July, I have forwarded a copy to the BBC's Watchdog program in the hope that they can help us.
I do not think you are taking this as a serious issue and have subsequently found out this is not an isolated case. A further problem on a different model of Graco Travel System belonging to neighbour has also had it's wheel fall off due to the exact same metal pin.
I would have at least expected an email from a member of your team to acknowledge receipt of my email, however you have made no such contact.
Regards,
earwig999
******************************************
Dear sir/madam,
I am extremely disappointed with the new pram we purchased for our son. We brought the Graco Oakwood Travel System model no. 7537TABU JJ with the serial no of 0xxxxxxxxx from our local Toy'R'Us in Derby in November as preparation before he was born. He was born on 6th February 2008 and the pram was not used until after this date.
We favored your make as it seemed to be a well known brand and thought it would be better made than other budget models.
All was fine with the system and we had used it with the car seat situated on the top for some time. We had recently moved our son into the actual pram to give him some extra room with the hot weather we had been having. One Saturday whilst visiting my wife's mother we had taken a trip to the local supermarket. Whilst pushing him through the car park towards the supermarket the rear wheel feel off, whilst our son was inside the pram. Upon examining the wheel it appeared to have snapped a metal pin that went through the axle with a washer behind it to hold the wheel on. Luckily, we found the nearest hardware shop and purchased a small split pin to put in the hole as a quick fix. This has held still to this day, however this afternoon my wife came home from collecting our other son from school and just as she walked through the gate the other rear wheel fell off again with our son inside. I went to our local hardware store and they didn't sell split pins and also went to Wilkinsons Hardware stores, who also do not sell them. My wife was very distressed with this situation and I even had to leave work early to try and find something to at least make the pram workable, so she can still do the school run in the morning.
We are only thankful that both times he has not fallen out or worse still the pram with him inside has fallen off the pavement into the road.
Now, we rely on the pram as neither of us drive and cannot carry our son everywhere. We do not overload the pram and it is well looked after. What would cause this to happen and how long is it likely to be before the front wheels also fall off?
Since buying the travel system we also bought a Graco high chair, but should we also be concerned over the safety of that too?
I think you might have a wider spread problem with the pins you are using to hold the wheels on, they do not seem strong enough and need investigating.
On another note, your telephone answer-phone claims the phone lines are now closed until 9am on 6th May. I think you may need this changing too.
I would appreciate you comments on this situation.
Regards,
earwig999
After checking on the internet it appear to be a common problem that has been ongoing since before 2004!!
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
So as you will see this time I sent a copy to Watchdog.
***********
As I have not received any form of acknowledgment from you in respect to this important issue detailed below originally sent to you on Thursday 10th July, I have forwarded a copy to the BBC's Watchdog program in the hope that they can help us.
I do not think you are taking this as a serious issue and have subsequently found out this is not an isolated case. A further problem on a different model of Graco Travel System belonging to neighbour has also had it's wheel fall off due to the exact same metal pin.
I would have at least expected an email from a member of your team to acknowledge receipt of my email, however you have made no such contact.
Regards,
earwig999
******************************************
Dear sir/madam,
I am extremely disappointed with the new pram we purchased for our son. We brought the Graco Oakwood Travel System model no. 7537TABU JJ with the serial no of 0xxxxxxxxx from our local Toy'R'Us in Derby in November as preparation before he was born. He was born on 6th February 2008 and the pram was not used until after this date.
We favored your make as it seemed to be a well known brand and thought it would be better made than other budget models.
All was fine with the system and we had used it with the car seat situated on the top for some time. We had recently moved our son into the actual pram to give him some extra room with the hot weather we had been having. One Saturday whilst visiting my wife's mother we had taken a trip to the local supermarket. Whilst pushing him through the car park towards the supermarket the rear wheel feel off, whilst our son was inside the pram. Upon examining the wheel it appeared to have snapped a metal pin that went through the axle with a washer behind it to hold the wheel on. Luckily, we found the nearest hardware shop and purchased a small split pin to put in the hole as a quick fix. This has held still to this day, however this afternoon my wife came home from collecting our other son from school and just as she walked through the gate the other rear wheel fell off again with our son inside. I went to our local hardware store and they didn't sell split pins and also went to Wilkinsons Hardware stores, who also do not sell them. My wife was very distressed with this situation and I even had to leave work early to try and find something to at least make the pram workable, so she can still do the school run in the morning.
We are only thankful that both times he has not fallen out or worse still the pram with him inside has fallen off the pavement into the road.
Now, we rely on the pram as neither of us drive and cannot carry our son everywhere. We do not overload the pram and it is well looked after. What would cause this to happen and how long is it likely to be before the front wheels also fall off?
Since buying the travel system we also bought a Graco high chair, but should we also be concerned over the safety of that too?
I think you might have a wider spread problem with the pins you are using to hold the wheels on, they do not seem strong enough and need investigating.
On another note, your telephone answer-phone claims the phone lines are now closed until 9am on 6th May. I think you may need this changing too.
I would appreciate you comments on this situation.
Regards,
earwig999
