Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

Audio Evacuation Unit

CPSC Recall #04-507 - October 29, 2003

Recall Summary

Recall Number04-507
Recall DateOctober 29, 2003
Remedy TypeReplace
Units Affected276
ManufacturerFire Control Instruments, of Westwood, Mass.
Manufactured InUnited States

Where It Was Sold

To FCI distributors nationwide from January 1998 through April 11
2003 for a list price of $825.

Product

Audio Evacuation Unit

Description

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fire Control Instruments, of Westwood, Mass., is voluntarily recalling 276 Audio Evacuation Units. The AEU can enter a "sleep" mode where it does not communicate with the system. When this occurs, audible evacuation signals associated with the failed AEU will not operate and building occupants may not be warned of an emergency.Name of Product: Audio Evacuation UnitUnits: 276Manufacturer: Fire Control Instruments, of Westwood, Mass.Hazard: The AEU can enter a "sleep" mode where it does not communicate with the system. When this occurs, audible evacuation signals associated with the failed AEU will not operate and building occupants may not be warned of an emergency.Incidents/Injuries: FCI has received seven reports of AEUs unexpectedly entering a "sleep" mode. No injuries have been reported.Description: All FCI AEUs (part number 1100-1171) manufactured prior to April 12, 2003. These AEUs are used in FireVac 7200 System Control Units. A label in the left center of the circuit board reads "FCI 7200" and "AEU." All V5 versions below V5.2-008 and V6 versions below V6.0.14 are included in the recall.Sold At: To FCI distributors nationwide from January 1998 through April 11, 2003 for a list price of $825.Manufactured In: United StatesRemedy: FCI will provide a new software chip set for each FireVac System at no charge.Consumer Contact: Distributors who do not receive the new software chip set or who have additional questions should contact their customer service representative at (800) 633-1311 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.Media Contact: Leslie Craddock at (203) 484-7161

Hazard

The AEU can enter a "sleep" mode where it does not communicate with the system. When this occurs, audible evacuation signals associated with the failed AEU will not operate and building occupants may not be warned of an emergency.

Incidents & Injuries

FCI has received seven reports of AEUs unexpectedly entering a "sleep" mode. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

FCI will provide a new software chip set for each FireVac System at no charge.

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.

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product, whether recalled or not, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

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.

Back to All Product Recalls