More Than 200,000 Kitchen Appliances Recalled by 2 Major Brands
Updated: May 23, 2024
A national agency cites more than a dozen fires and eight injuries that have involved burns and smoke inhalation.
Recently some questions have surfaced about the safety of gas stoves and their potential toxic emissions, which may contribute to asthma and other health complications in some cases. Exactly a year ago in May 2023, New York became the first state to pass legislation that requires all cooking and heating utility services to go electric by 2029.
A year later, a mass quantity of electric stoves are now the ones causing significant health and safety concerns. In the past week, Electrolux has announced a recall on “about 203,000” Kenmore and Frigidaire stoves due to multiple fires and injuries they’ve allegedly caused.
“Depending on the model,” reports the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) May 16, 2024 recall announcement, “the surface heating elements can: 1) turn on spontaneously without being switched on; 2) fail to turn off after being switched off; or 3) heat to different temperatures than selected. This poses fire and burn hazards to consumers.”
The recall applies to smooth-top, freestanding stoves that include four Kenmore models (serial number range VF122xxxxx to VF334xxxxx) and 24 Frigidaire models (serial number range VF122xxxxx to VF936xxxxx). The CPSC states that the products are branded under the following names: Frigidaire, Frigidaire Gallery, Frigidaire Professional, and Kenmore Elite. The agency says the brand name, model, and serial number can be found on the frame of the drawer at the bottom of the unit when the drawer is opened.
Frigidaire-brand models affected are:
- FEFBZ90GC
- FEFLMC55GC
- FEFLZ87GC
- GLEF396AB
- GLEF396AQ
- GLEF396AS
- GLEF396CQ
- GLEF396CS
- GLEFM397DB
- GLEFM397DQ
- GLEFM397DS
- GLEFM97FPB
- GLEFM97FPW
- GLEFM97GPB
- GLEFM97GPW
- LEEFM389FE
- PLEF398AC
- PLEF398CC
- PLEF398DC
- PLEFM399DC
- PLEFMZ99EC
- PLEFMZ99GC
- PLEFZ398EC
- PLEFZ398GC
Kenmore-brand models affected are:
- 790.990121
- 790.990131
- 790.990141
- 790.990191
The CPSC reports that an initial recall was announced in August 2009, and that since then Electrolux has received “at least 212 reports of the ranges behaving erratically, including 14 reports of fires and eight reports of injuries involving burns to hands or arms, as well as smoke inhalation.”
It’s said the manufacturer is working with customers to repair or replace the stoves, which were sold for between $1,000 and $2,500 between 2001 and 2009 at Sears and independent appliance retailers.
The CPSC suggests customers may contact Electrolux or register online to participate in the recall and provide details to help the company determine whether the unit can be repaired. “If the range is repairable, a free inspection and repair will be scheduled,” the CPSC’s announcement states.
Contact information is as follows:
- Phone: Electrolux Group – 888-845-8226 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday
- Email: [email protected]
- Register online at https://www.ema-recall.com/potentiometer or www.potentiometerrecall.com or www.frigidaire.com and click on “Recall Information.”
The announcement notes it’s advised not to leave anything on the range when it is not in use.
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Originally Published: May 23, 2024
