Sears Reannounces Recall of Kenmore Dehumidifiers Due to Additional Reports of Fires, Burn, Low Consumer Response Rate

News provided by

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Jul 17, 2013, 09:11 ET

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO)

Recall Summary

Name of Product: Kenmore dehumidifiers

Hazard: The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke, melt and catch on fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the dehumidifiers and contact the Recall Fulfillment Center to receive a Sears gift card for either $75, $80, $90 or $100, which may be used at any Sears or Kmart store or at Sears.com or Kmart.com. The gift card amount will depend on the capacity and year of the dehumidifier. In lieu of a gift card, consumers may request a check for the refund amount. All consumers with recalled units will also receive a $25 coupon that may be used at Sears Department Stores or Sears.com toward the purchase of a new Kenmore dehumidifier.

Consumer Contact: LG Recall Fulfillment Center, toll-free at (855) 400-4641 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday and between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT Saturday. Consumers also can determine whether their product has been recalled and register for the remedy at www.Kenmoredehumidifierrecall.com.

Photos are available at: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2013/Sears-Reannounces-Recall-of-Kenmore-Dehumidifiers.

Recall Details

Units: About 795,000 (previously recalled in August 2012)

Description: This recall involves Kenmore brand 35-, 50- and 70-pint dehumidifiers made by LG and manufactured between 2003 and 2005. The dehumidifiers are made of white plastic and are between 21 and 24 inches tall, about 15 inches wide and about 13.5 inches deep. They have a fan, humidity controls and a Kenmore logo on their top front panels. They come with front-loading water buckets. Some models include remote controls. The model number can be found on the right side of the interior of the unit once the bucket has been removed. Recalled units have the following model numbers:

35-pint (2004) - 580.54351400
50-pint (2003) - 580.53509300
70-pint (2003) - 580.53701300
70-pint (2004) - 580.54701400
70-pint (2005) - 580.54701500

Incidents/Injuries: Sears has received seven additional incident reports of shorting and fire associated with the dehumidifiers, including one incident with a severe burn to a consumer's foot and three fires resulting in more than $300,000 of property damage.

Sold exclusively at: Sears and Kmart stores nationwide and Sears.com and Kmart.com from 2003 to 2009 for between $140 and $220.

Manufacturer: LG Electronics (Tianjin) Appliance Co., Ltd., of Tianjin, China

Importers: LG Electronics USA Inc. and Sears

Retailer: Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation, of Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Manufactured in: China

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov.

Media Contact
Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline
Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:
800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)
Times: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission