Suunto recalls some D6 and D9 computers

Suunto Dive Computers Recalled Due to Decompression Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. [19 July 2006] – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with [suunto], today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Suunto D9 and D6 Model Wristop Dive Computers

Units: About 3,900

Manufacturer: Suunto Oy, of Finland

Hazard: These dive computers could incorrectly track dive time, which could cause incorrect calculation of decompression requirements. This could lead to decompression sickness.

The products affected are:

D9 serial numbers 62102582 and below

D6 serial numbers 62103693 and below

See US CPSC announcement and Suunto's safety notice.

There is a software fix. According to an emailing from Ben Davison, Suunto is extending the recall and upgrade to computers purchased through grey market retailers such as Leisurepro.

Frogfish

I believe Suunto UK has chased down all the units sold through them and they are now upgraded. There was only a small chance of a problem and that was triggered by adjusting the seconds phase of the watch function during surface interval but Suunto preferred not to take the risk. I wish other computer manufacturers were as concientious!

Yes, Suunto seems to have responded quickly and responsibly to this issue. It would also be nice it if more computer manufacturers incorporated the Weinke's RGBM decompression algorithm the way Suunto has, instead of just grafting a bastardized implementation of estimated micro-bubbles onto a Buhler decompression model the way that a certain computer manufacturer that now seems to spend more on marketing than engineering tried to do.

Two guys on a liveaboard in Komodo that I was on a couple of weeks ago had (independently) just bought D9s. They seemed delighted with them. At least, they were constantly playing with them, adjusting them, and fiddling with them whenever they were out of the water, for whatever reason.

One of them decided to do a free dive with the D9 in gauge mode, not having read the part in the manual which explained that once used in gauge mode, the computer cannot be used as a dive computer again for at least 48 hours, or something like that.

Frogfish