5/16/07 Recalls General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary
recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using
recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: GE Dishwashers

Units: About 2.5 million

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser onto the
dishwasher's internal wiring which can cause an electrical short and
overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring
including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires
that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher
or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold under the
following brand names: Eterna, GE, GE Profile(tm), GE Monogram(r),
Hotpoint(r), and Sears-Kenmore. The dishwashers were sold in white,
black, almond, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on
the dishwasher's front control panel. Model and serial numbers can be
found inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the
dishwasher. A table of relevant model and serial numbers can be found on
CPSC's web site.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from September 1997 through
December 2001 for about $400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers
and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards
the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the
purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact General Electric
toll-free at (877) 607-6395 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through
Saturday. Consumers also can visit the firm's Web site at
www.geappliances.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the
recalled product and a table of brands, models, and serial numbers
affected by this recall, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07190.html