By Zeba Fatima
General Electric and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have issued a massive recall on dishwashers related to an electrical failure in the heating element.
CPSC revealed that the voluntary recall includes about 1.3 million GE, GE Adora, GE Eterna, GE Profile and Hotpoint dishwashers.
An electrical failure in the dishwasher’s heating element can pose a fire hazard and GE has already received 15 reports of fires, three of which caused extensive property damage. GE said no injuries have been reported.
The affected dishwashers were sold nationwide from March 2006 through August 2009 for $350 to $850.
As a precaution, CPSC advised consumers to stop using the dishwashers and immediately disconnect the electric supply by either unplugging the unit or by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker.
Consumers who have the recalled units should not to return the dishwashers to stores where they were purchased, but should contact GE who stated they will provide free repairs or rebates toward new dishwashers.
CPSC chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum credited new consumer safety laws with making people safer. The law, which has been in effect since 2008, has “created one of the strongest product safety systems in the world.”
“Parents of children who were killed by products that were defective or dangerous wished these new rules were in place years ago and parents who were once unsure of the safety of the marketplace now have greater confidence that stronger standards and independent testing are in place for children’s products,” she added.
