Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs
CPSC Recall #12211 — June 27, 2012
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 12211 |
| Recall Date | June 27, 2012 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 5,600 |
| Manufacturer | Spa Manufacturer: Watkins Manufacturing Corp., dba Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs, of Vista, Calif. Heater Manufacturer: Therm Products, a division of Caldesso LLC, of San Bernardino, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Where It Was Sold
| Independent spa dealers nationwide from March 2011 to March 2012 for between $6 |
| 000 and $12 |
| 000. |
Product
Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Hot Tubs
Description
A loose internal electrical connection in the spa heaters can overheat and ignite. The firm has received 31 reports of overheating, including five fires.
Hazard
A loose internal electrical connection of the spa heaters can overheat and ignite, posing a fire hazard.
Incidents & Injuries
Watkins Manufacturing has received 31 reports of heaters on these spas overheating, five of which resulted in a fire. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled spas and shut off power to the spa unit, following instructions provided in the owner's manual or by the Watkins-Therm Products Response Hotline. Consumers should contact the Watkins-Therm Products Response Hotline or their Watkins Manufacturing spa dealer for a free replacement heater and installation by a service technician. Watkins Manufacturing spa dealers are also contacting all affected owners to schedule the free installation of a replacement heater.
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.