Kidde plastic valve disposable fire extinguishers
CPSC Recall #15-079 — February 12, 2015
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 15-079 |
| Recall Date | February 12, 2015 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 4.6 million units in the U.S. and 175,000 in Canada |
| Manufactured In | Mexico |
Where It Was Sold
| Home Depot |
| Menards |
| Walmart and other department |
| home and hardware stores nationwide |
| and online from August 2013 through November 2014 for between $18 and $65 |
| and about $200 for model XL 5MR. |
Product
Kidde plastic valve disposable fire extinguishers
Description
This recall involves 31 models of Kidde disposable fire extinguishers with Zytel® black plastic valves. The recalled extinguishers are red, white or silver and are either ABC or BC rated. The ratings can be found to the right of the nameplate. Manufacture dates included in the recall are July 23, 2013 through October 15, 2014. A 10-digit date code is stamped on the side of the cylinder, near the bottom. Digits five through nine represent the day and year of manufacture in DDDYY format. Date codes for recalled units manufactured in 2013 are XXXX 20413 X through XXXX 36513 X and 2014 are XXXX 00114 X through XXXX 28814 X. A nameplate affixed to the front of the fire extinguisher has one of the following model numbers: 10BC 1A 10BC 1A 10BCW 2A10BC 5BC 5BCW FA10G FA110 FA5B FC10 FC110 FC5 FH/ RESSP FX10 FX10BC FX10K FX210 FX210R FX210W FX340GW FX340SC FX5II KFH Twin M110 Twin M5 Twin Mariner 10 Mariner 110 Mariner 5 Mariner 5 G RESSP XL 5MR
Hazard
A faulty valve component can cause the disposable fire extinguishers not to fully discharge when the lever is repeatedly pressed and released during a fire emergency, posing a risk of injury.
Incidents & Injuries
Kidde has received 11 reports of the recalled fire extinguishers failing to discharge as expected. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.