Hot & Cold Water Dispensers
CPSC Recall #02-134 — April 3, 2002
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 02-134 |
| Recall Date | April 3, 2002 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 12,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| Crystal Mountain and its distributors sold these water coolers in the U.S. and Canada from May 1999 through July 2000 for about $300. |
Product
Hot & Cold Water Dispensers
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Crystal Mountain Water Cooler Corp., of Alberta, Canada is voluntarily recalling about 12,000 hot & cold water coolers. Approximately eighty percent of the water dispensers were sold in the United States. The hot & cold water dispenser's heater band can short circuit, posing a fire hazard to consumers.Crystal Mountain Water Cooler Corp. has received about 20 reports of the water cooler's insulation smoking, or igniting the unit. Damages ranged from minor smoke and fire damage up to $200,000 in property damage.The Hot & Cold Water Dispenser is an upright water dispenser, with two faucets. One faucet has a red lever and one faucet has a blue lever. The unit stands at 35 5/8 inches-high (98.1 cm2), weighs 36.43 pounds (16.56 kgs) and has a base area of 120.5 square inches (777.41 cm2). To determine if the water dispenser is subject to this recall, the serial number plate is located on the back at the top of the water dispenser. Only water coolers with serial numbers between 1199125 and 1100175 are included in the recall. The third and fourth digits of the serial number represent the year of production.Crystal Mountain and its distributors sold these water coolers in the U.S. and Canada from May 1999 through July 2000 for about $300.Consumers should turn off the hot tank power switch or simply unplug the units and contact Crystal Mountain at (866) 678-4886 anytime to receive repair information. Consumers should have the serial number of their water cooler available at the time of the call.Crystal Mountain issued registered letters to its entire customer base. This release is being issued in an attempt to reach those consumers who did not respond to the direct mailing.
Hazard
The hot & cold water dispenser's heater band can short circuit, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Crystal Mountain Water Cooler Corp. has received about 20 reports of the water cooler's insulation smoking, or igniting the unit. Damages ranged from minor smoke and fire damage up to $200,000 in property damage.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should turn off the hot tank power switch or simply unplug the units and contact Crystal Mountain at (866) 678-4886 anytime to receive repair information. Consumers should have the serial number of their water cooler available at the time of the call.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair 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 (Repair) 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.