December 2000
GE Offers Repairs, Rebates For Faulty Dishwashers
In cooperation with the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), General Electric Appliances Co.,
of Louisville, Ky., is voluntarily offering a free repair option in the form
of a rewiring for its recalled GE and Hotpoint dishwashers.
With the free rewire option, a
GE-authorized technician will rewire the slide switch at no cost to
consumers. This supplements the original rebate program announced last year.
The dishwashers have a slide switch that can melt and ignite, presenting a
fire hazard. CPSC is aware of approximately 90 incidents associated with
these dishwashers. GE manufactured 3.1 million of these dishwashers between
1983 and 1989.
As U.S. Inspect reported in its 1999 Advisory
Report announcing the GE recall, GE provided consumers with a rebate
toward the purchase of a new dishwasher. CPSC and GE are announcing the
supplemental rewiring option to increase the effectiveness of the original
program, which has to date been implemented in over 628,000 units. CPSC and
GE are cooperating in an effort to reach people who may not have previously
come forward.
Both the CPSC and GE strongly urge consumers who have not replaced their
recalled units under the original rebate program to contact GE right away to
schedule a free rewiring or participate in the original rebate program.
Until the dishwasher has been rewired, consumers should keep the dishwasher
door unlatched at all times to prevent the flow of electrical current that
creates a risk of fire.
The slide switch allows consumers to choose between heated drying and
"energy saver" functions. Over time, the slide switch can melt and
ignite, presenting a fire hazard. In the free rewiring program announced
today, GE-authorized technicians will rewire the slide switch, eliminating
it from the electrical circuit and thereby eliminating the fire risk.
There have been approximately 90 incidents of fire, smoking and melted
switches, 14 of which included fires that spread beyond the dishwasher.
Approximately 10 incidents have occurred since the recall announcement. No
injuries have been reported.
The GE and Hotpoint dishwashers involved are models beginning with GSD500D,
GSD500G, GSD540, HDA467, HDA477, or HDA487 with a serial number that has a
second letter of A, M, R, S, T, V or Z (for example, BM12345). The model and
serial numbers are located on a rectangular label that is on either the
right or left front edge of the inner tub. The GE or Hotpoint brand name is
on the front of the dishwasher.
Consumers that have one of these recalled dishwashers should immediately
discontinue use, unlatch the door, and contact GE at (800) 599-2929 anytime
or visit www.geappliancerecall.com.
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