By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com
June 3, 2010
Whirlpool Corp. is recalling 1.7 million of its Maytag dishwashers because of a fire hazard, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (COSC).
The recall also includes dishwashers sold under the Amana, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa and Crosley brands.
It's the largest dishwasher recall in three years. The CPSC says consumers should stop using the appliances immediately because a faulty heating element can short-circuit and ignite.
Consumers have been complaining about the problem for years.
"It began to have smoke pour from it with the stench of melting plastic," Chris, of Naples, Fla., told ConsumerAffairs.com. "Thank goodness it wasn't running at night while my family was asleep. I had to run out to the garage to the circuit breaker and trip it myself. Who knows what would have happened if I had not been there to prevent this electrical malfunction from spreading?""I discovered our kitchen floor was wet and that water was coming in from under the counters next to my kitchen sink. Further investigation found that our dishwasher was the culprit," Dave, of Tracy, Calif., told ConsumerAffairs.com. "Inside the dishwasher were two holes in the plastic tub at the bottom of the washer. These holes appeared to be from burns which most likely came from the heating element."
Maytag said it has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.
The recalled dishwashers have serial numbers starting with, or ending with, the following:
| SERIAL number STARTING with | OR | SERIAL number ENDING with |
|---|---|---|
| NW39, NW40, NW41, NW42, NW43, NW44, NW45, NW46, NW47, NW48, NW49, NW50, NW51, NW52, NY01, NY02, NY03, NY04, NY05, NY06, NY07, NY08, NY09, NY10, NY11, NY12, NY13, NY14, NY15, NY16, NY17, NY18, NY19 | JC, JE, JG, JJ, JL, JN, JP, JR, JT, JV, JX, LA, LC, LE, LG, LJ, LL, LN, LP, LR, LT, LV, LX, NA, NC, NE, NG, NJ, NL, NN, NP, NR |
Consumers should contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, the company said consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The company is not offering to replace the dishwashers themselves.
The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back, the company said.
For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm's website.
Not a new problem
In 2005, at about the time Whirlpool purchased Maytag, Whirlpool recalled about 162,000 Whirlpool and Kenmore dishwashers. At the time, it said an electrical defect in the motor wiring posed a risk of the motor overheating and possibly catching fire.
Whirlpool said it had received three reports of overheated wash motors but no reports of personal injury or property damage.
The products recalled in 2005 included Whirlpool brand and Kenmore brand (made by Whirlpool Corporation) under-the-counter, plastic tall tub dishwashers.
