CPSC, American Standard Companies Announce Recall of Gas-Electric Heating/Cooling Units

CPSC Recall #05-104 — February 10, 2005

Recall Summary

Recall Number05-104
Recall DateFebruary 10, 2005
Remedy TypeInspect
Units Affected18,200
ManufacturerTrane and American Standard, divisions of American Standard Inc., of Tyler, Texas
Manufactured InUnited States

Where It Was Sold

 Independent dealers and installers sold these units between October 2003 and December 2004. 

Description

 The recalled units include 2 through 5-ton Trane and American Standard heating and air conditioning packaged units. Affected units are combination gas heat and air conditioning systems installed outdoors only. Gas furnaces installed indoors are not included in this recall. The units have identification plates displaying the model number; serial number; and the year, month and day of manufacture. The plate is located on one end of the unit. The first four digits of all serial numbers indicate the year, fiscal week and day of manufacture. The recall includes:-  All units with model numbers beginning with YCP or YCX, and having serial numbers beginning with 3383 through 4475;-  All units with model number beginning with YCY or YCZ, and having serial numbers beginning with 4282 through 4475.  

Hazard

A gas leak can occur if there is a crack in the gas valve body near the inlet pipe connection. A build-up of gas in the burner compartment of the unit could occur, which could be ignited by an internal spark.

Incidents & Injuries

Trane has received five reports of gas valve cracks, though no injuries or property damage has been reported. 

Remedy Instructions

Consumers with recalled units are being contacted by the independent dealers that installed them. Consumers who think they have recalled units and have not yet been contacted, should call their installer for more information. Using their model and serial numbers, consumers also can visit the firms' Web sites to confirm if their unit is included in the recall. Consumers with recalled units should contact their installer to arrange for a free inspection. 

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Inspect 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 (Inspect) 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.