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Recall Details
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2010 Release #10-259 |
Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 345-4124 GE Media Contact: (888) 240-2749 |
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. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: GE Front-Load Washing Machines
Units: About 181,000
Manufacturer: GE Appliances & Lighting, of Louisville, Ky.
Hazard: A wire can break in the machine and make contact with a metal part on the washtub while the machine is operating, posing fire and shock hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of seven incidents in which flames escaped the units and caused minor smoke damage. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves GE front-load washing machines without auxiliary water heating. Model and serial numbers are listed in the chart below. Recalled washing machines were manufactured between December 2006 and February 2010. The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom right side and on the bottom door frame of the washers.
| Brand | Model Number Begins With: | Serial Number Begins With: |
|---|---|---|
| GE | WBVH5 | AM, AR, AS, AT, DM, DR, DS, FM, FR, FS, GM, GS, HM, HR, HS, LM, LR, LS, MM, MR, MS, RM, RR, RS, SM, SR, SS, TM, TR, TS, VM, VR, VS, ZL, ZM, ZR, ZS |
Sold at: Department and various retail stores nationwide from December 2006 through May 2010 for about $700.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled washers, unplug it from the electrical outlet and contact GE for a free repair. Consumers should not operate the washer until it has been repaired.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact GE toll-free at (888) 345-4124 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.geappliances.com
Note: Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.
Related Recalls
After alerting consumers to the presence of natural gas or carbon monoxide, the recalled alarm can go into sleep mode when the alert lasts less than four minutes. During this time, the alarms can fail to detect and alert consumers to a new incidence of natural gas or carbon monoxide, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The smart electric space heaters can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. Testing determined the smart electric space heaters do not comply with the voluntary industry safety standard, UL 1278, posing an overheating and fire risk from wireless control features.
The crimp holding a wire in place in the cabinet heater is not properly finished and can result in the wire detaching, posing an electrocution hazard.
The fan can malfunction and fail to turn on causing the unit to overheat and ignite internally, posing a fire hazard.
The recalled AirJet and HydroJet spa pumps can overheat causing the plastic housing to ignite, posing a fire hazard.
The lithium-ion batteries in the HALO 1000 Portable Power Station can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards that can lead to serious injury or death.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
- Visit CPSC.gov.
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- Report a dangerous product or product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
- Call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270).
- Contact a media specialist.
