Philips Magnavox Home Audio Theatre Systems

CPSC Recall #99-001 - September 30, 1998

Recall Summary

Recall Number99-001
Recall DateSeptember 30, 1998
Remedy TypeRepair
Units Affected25,500

Where It Was Sold

Major national superstores and department stores
such as Best Buy
Kmart
Lowes
Montgomery Ward
Service Merchandise and Walmart
sold the Model MX920 systems nationwide from June of 1997 through August 1998 for about $350.

Product

Philips Magnavox Home Audio Theatre Systems

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Philips Consumer Electronics Company, of Atlanta, Ga., is recalling 25,500 Philips Magnavox home audio theatre systems for free repair. The system's speaker voice coil can overheat and lead to a speaker fire, presenting a fire hazard to consumers. Philips has received four reports of speaker fires, with one resulting in scorched carpeting. No injuries have been reported. Only Model MX920 Philips Magnavox home audio theatre systems are being recalled. The model number is prominently displayed on both the front of the receiver cabinet and on a rear label in the upper left corner when looking at the back of the receiver. The MX920 system includes a surround sound stereo receiver, a subwoofer, a center channel speaker, two surround-sound speakers and two front (left/right) loudspeakers. Major national superstores and department stores, such as Best Buy, Kmart, Lowes, Montgomery Ward, Service Merchandise and Walmart, sold the Model MX920 systems nationwide from June of 1997 through August 1998 for about $350. Consumers should stop using the systems immediately and call Philips toll-free at (888) 744-5477 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Sunday for instructions on receiving the free repair. Consumers also may write to the company at Philips Consumer Electronics Company, Old Andrew Johnson Highway, P.O. Box 555, Jefferson City, TN 37760.

Hazard

The system's speaker voice coil can overheat and lead to a speaker fire, presenting a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents & Injuries

Philips has received four reports of speaker fires, with one resulting in scorched carpeting. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using the systems immediately and call Philips toll-free at (888) 744-5477 for instructions on receiving the free repair.

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.