CPSC, LG Electronics and Sears, Roebuck and Co. Announce Recall to Repair Refrigerators

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary retrofit of the following consumer product. Consumers should contact the manufacturer or retailer for further instruction.

Name of Product: LG and Kenmore Elite® Trio™ Three-Door Refrigerators.

Units: About 20,000

Manufacturer: LG Electronics Inc., of Lincolnshire, Ill.

Distributor: Sears, Roebuck and Co., of Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Problem: A faulty component in the condenser fan motor can short circuit. This could cause the condenser fan motor to overheat, posing a potential fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: LG Electronics has received 82 reports of incidents involving a condenser fan motor failure due to a failed capacitor arcing and smoking. There has been smoke damage in a few incidents. There have been no injuries.

Description: The recalled refrigerators are three-door, 21 to 25 cubic foot units with a bottom freezer. The refrigerators come in titanium, stainless steel, bisque, white or black. Brand names are identified on the door at the top right of the units and the interior data plate. The units have the following model and serial numbers located on the data plate inside the fresh food section of the refrigerator door:

*Not all refrigerators within the serial number range are included in the recall. Consumers should call LG or Sears to determine whether their refrigerator is included in the recall.

Sold at: Sears stores nationwide sold the Kenmore brand exclusively and other major retailers nationwide sold the LG brand refrigerators from May 2004 through May 2005 for between $1,400 and $2,400.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should contact Sears or LG to arrange for a free in-home repair.

General Electric Recalls Gas Ranges Due to Fire Hazard

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: GE Monogram® Professional Gas Ranges

Units: About 2,600

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: These ranges have a design flaw that can cause an electrical arc between the wiring and griddle gas supply tube, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received reports of six incidents of gas leaking from the griddle gas supply tube, resulting in five fires under the range top. One consumer has reported burns to her hands and two consumers have reported smoke damage.

Description: This recall includes 36-inch and 48-inch stainless steel Monogram Pro ranges with griddles. They are fueled either by LP or natural gas and manufactured from October 2005 through May 16, 2006. The recall includes the following ranges: Models ZDP48N6DHSS, ZDP48L6DHSS, ZDP36N4DHSS and ZDP36L4DHSS. The recalled range models have a serial letter plus serial number combination as shown below.

To find the manufacture date, and model and serial numbers, look underneath the top ledge (the “bull nose”) above the range controls.

Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from October 2005 through February 2007 for between $4,000 and $6,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Customers with a recalled range should stop using it immediately and contact GE for further instructions and to schedule a free, in-home repair.

CPSC, Maytag Corp. Announce Recall of Washing Machines

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should contact the manufacturer or retailer for further instruction.

Name of Product: Maytag Front-Loading Washing Machines

Units: About 5,000

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea

Distributor: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa

Hazard: If the front-load washer is operated at maximum load capacity, the spinner could malfunction and break apart, posing a safety risk to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves white Maytag front-load washers with model number MAH9700 and a serial number from 10188468GA through 11683946GJ. The model and serial numbers are located inside the door opening and below the rubber boot.

Sold at: Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through May 2005 for about $1,300.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should use care not to exceed the listed capacity of their machines, and should contact Maytag for a free in-home service call to replace the washer’s control board.

Maytag® and Samsung™ Brand Front Loading Washing Machines Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing Machines

Units: About 250,000 Maytag-brand units and about 20,000 Samsung-brand units

Distributor: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, and Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J.

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea

Hazard: Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine’s thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received five reports of incidents involving ignition in the circuit board. Samsung has received one report of an incident involving ignition in the circuit board. No injuries, fires or property damage outside the washing machine have been reported.

Description and Models: The recall involves certain Maytag and Samsung brand front-load washers. The Maytag washers have model numbers beginning with MAH9700 or MAH8700. The Samsung model number WF306BHW or a model number beginning with WF316. Not all serial numbers are subject to the recall. The model and serial numbers are located on a tag at the bottom of the door opening. Maytag models with a serial number ending in the last two letters identified below are subject to the recall:

Sample Maytag Serial Number: 10123456GN

Samsung models with the six-digit number 100001 through 799999 prior to a letter at the end of the serial number are subject to the recall:

Sample Samsung Serial Number: 230854AL300026B

Sold at: Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact the firm for information on how to receive a free repair. Consumers should not return the washing machine to the retailer where it was purchased.

General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

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

Name of product: GE Dishwashers

Units: About 2.5 million

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser onto the dishwasher’s internal wiring which can cause an electrical short and overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold under the following brand names: Eterna, GE, GE Profile™, GE Monogram®, Hotpoint®, and Sears-Kenmore. The dishwashers were sold in white, black, almond, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the dishwasher’s front control panel. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the dishwasher.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from September 1997 through December 2001 for about $400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

General Electric Recalls Gas Ranges Due to Fire Hazard

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: GE Monogram® Professional Gas Ranges

Units: About 2,600

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: These ranges have a design flaw that can cause an electrical arc between the wiring and griddle gas supply tube, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received reports of six incidents of gas leaking from the griddle gas supply tube, resulting in five fires under the range top. One consumer has reported burns to her hands and two consumers have reported smoke damage.

Description: This recall includes 36-inch and 48-inch stainless steel Monogram Pro ranges with griddles. They are fueled either by LP or natural gas and manufactured from October 2005 through May 16, 2006. The recall includes the following ranges: Models ZDP48N6DHSS, ZDP48L6DHSS, ZDP36N4DHSS and ZDP36L4DHSS. The recalled range models have a serial letter plus serial number combination as shown below.

To find the manufacture date, and model and serial numbers, look underneath the top ledge (the “bull nose”) above the range controls.

Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from October 2005 through February 2007 for between $4,000 and $6,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Customers with a recalled range should stop using it immediately and contact GE for further instructions and to schedule a free, in-home repair.

Thermador® Ceramic Cooktops Recalled by BSH Home Appliances Corp. Due to Fire Hazard

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

Product: Thermador® Brand Ceramic Cooktops

Units: About 2,000

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp. of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The cooktop can come on by itself when switched off, creating a potential fire hazard if flammable items are left on the cooktop.

Incidents/Injuries: None.

Description: The cooktop has electric and induction heating elements with a black ceramic glass surface. This recall involves model numbers CIT302DS/01 and CIT362DS/01 with date codes between 8606 and 8612. The model number and date code can be found on the underside of the cooktop.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from October 2006 through March 2007 for between $1,800 and $2,200.

Manufactured in: Spain

Remedy: Consumers should disconnect the cooktop at the circuit breaker when not in use, and never leave anything on the cooktop when it is unattended. Contact BSH Home Appliances for a free in-home repair.

Fire Hazard with Thermador® Built-In Ovens Leads to Recall by BSH Home Appliances Corp.

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

Name of Product: Thermador® Brand Built-In Ovens

Units: About 42,000

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The oven can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to overheat. This can pose a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received ten reports of incidents including one which resulted in a fire that caused extensive property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Thermador® Brand built-in single ovens and combination models which have a conventional oven and a microwave. The model numbers of the single ovens are C271B, C301B, SEC271B and SEC301B. The model numbers of the combination models are SEM272B, SEM302B, SEMW272B and SEMW302B. The ovens have date codes between FD8403 and FD8701. The model number and date code can be found on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from November 2004 through May 2007 for between $2,400 and $3,900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact BSH Home Appliances immediately to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

General Electric Recalls Microwave Combo Wall Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

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

Name of Product: Built-in Combination Wall and Microwave Ovens

Units: About 92,000

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: The door switch in the microwave oven can overheat and ignite plastic components in the control area, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The lower thermal oven does not pose a hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of 35 incidents of minor property damage and one incident in which a fire damaged adjacent kitchen cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE combination microwave and conventional built-in wall ovens sold under the following brand names: GE, GE Profile® and Kenmore. The ovens were sold in white, black, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the lower left corner on the front of the microwave door. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the microwave oven on the left interior wall.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from January 2000 to December 2003 for between $1,500 and $2,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the microwave oven immediately. Consumers should contact GE regarding their GE/GE Profile micro-oven combo or Sears for their Kenmore unit. GE is offering a free repair or rebate on a new product, a $300 rebate toward the purchase of a new GE brand unit, or a $600 rebate toward the purchase of a new GE Profile brand unit. Sears is offering a free repair or $300 rebate toward the purchase of a new Kenmore brand unit. Consumers can continue using the lower thermal oven.

General Electric Recalls Gas Dryers Due to Shock Hazard

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: GE Gas Clothes Dryers

Units: About 2,100

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: A short circuit in the dryer’s wiring poses a shock hazard to consumers with ungrounded dryers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recalled gas dryers are 42 inches tall (back with backsplash) and 27 inches wide, and were sold in white. GE gas dryers model number DWXR463GGWW with serial numbers starting with AM, TL, SL, VL, and ZL are included in this recall. To find the model and serial numbers, open the dryer door and look in the lower right corner, in the area that was covered by the door.

Sold by: Retail stores, and authorized builder distributors nationwide from September 2006 through October 2007 for about $440.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled dryers immediately, unplug the dryer, and contact GE for further instructions and to schedule a free, in-home inspection and repair. GE is directly contacting consumers who purchased the recalled dryers.