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Automatic Defrost Upright Freezers and All-Refrigerators

CPSC Recall #05-279 — September 26, 2005

Recall Summary

Recall Number05-279
Recall DateSeptember 26, 2005
Remedy TypeDispose, No Remedy Available
Units AffectedAbout 112,000
ManufacturerW.C. Wood Company Inc., of Ottawa, Ohio
Manufactured InCanada and United States

Where It Was Sold

Home improvement and appliance stores from September 2002 through February 2005 for between $400 and $1
000.

Product

Automatic Defrost Upright Freezers and All-Refrigerators

Description

The recalled single door freezers and refrigerators are 15, 17 and 20-cubic foot Automatic Defrost Upright Freezers and 17-cubic foot Automatic Defrost All-Refrigerators that can be converted into freezers. They were sold under the brand names Amana, Crosley, Danby, Maytag, Whirlpool and Wood's, which is written on the front of the unit. The manufacturer label with the model number and date of manufacture is located on the inside of the cabinet. A list of model numbers and dates of manufacture included in the recall is listed below. BrandModel NumbersDate of ManufactureAmanaAFU1567*, AFU1767*, AFU2067*200209(September 2002)through200402(February 2004)CrosleyFFCR17*, WCF15*, WCF17*, WCF20*DanbyDUF1700*, DFF1708*MaytagMQU1556*, MQU2057*WhirlpoolEV150NXM*, EV170NYL*, EV171NYM*, EV200NXK*, EV201NXM*, EL7ATRRK*, EL7ATRRM*, EL7JWKLM*, EL7JWKRM*Wood'sF15*, F17*, F20*, F42*, F47*, F55*, WFF15*, WFF17*, WFF20*, RFA17*, RFC17*, R47F** there are additional letters or numbers following the model numbers above

Hazard

The defrost heater coil can become exposed inside the units, which poses a potential shock hazard to consumers. In some cases, the exposed heater wire can also melt or burn the unit's interior plastic food liner.

Incidents & Injuries

W.C. Woods has received 45 reports of incidents of the defrost heater coil becoming exposed. Nine of those incidents resulted in an electrical short. The others melted and burned the unit's interior plastic liner. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should contact Whirlpool to arrange for a free in-home repair for Amana, Maytag or Whirlpool freezers.  There is no remedy available for unrepaired Crosley, Danby and Wood's freezers. Unplug and discontinue use of unrepaired units.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.

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