CPSC And Maytag Announce Recall To Inspect And Repair Dishwashers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maytag Corporation, of Newton, Iowa., is inspecting and repairing dishwashers with a component that can fail during use. This small electrical component, located in the base of the unit, can malfunction, overheat, and in rare circumstances, cause a fire.

Maytag has received 142 reports of component failures, including one confirmed fire that involved minor property damage. Maytag reports that most of the failures have occurred within the first eight months of the dishwasher's installation. The company will focus its inspection efforts on these dishwashers that it believes to be most at risk for component failure. There have been no reports of injuries resulting from the electrical component failures.

Maytag Corporation is inspecting and repairing at no charge to consumers certain Maytag brand dishwashers that carry serial numbers ending in one of the following pairs of letters: KF, KH, KK, KM, KQ, KS, KU, KW, KY, KZ, or MB. Maytag will mail notices to consumers whose dishwashers are to be inspected.

Maytag manufactured a total of 553,000 dishwashers with the component from March 1994 through January 1995. Maytag dealers and other retailers sold these dishwashers nationwide from April 1994 to October 1995.

Consumers should check their dishwasher's serial number to determine if it may be part of the inspection and repair program. The serial number is located in the upper left corner of the dishwasher tub, just below the countertop. Consumers who have one of these dishwashers can call Maytag Customer Service toll-free at (800) 462-9267 to arrange for their dishwasher to be inspected, or they can write the company at Maytag Customer Service, P.O. Box 8021, Cleveland, TN 37320-8021. Maytag recommends that, if consumers choose to continue to use their dishwashers prior to the inspection, they should do so only while at home, attending to the appliance.

Maytag media inquiries should be directed to Tom Schwartz, Director Corporate Communications, at (515) 791-6342.