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Chest Freezers

CPSC Recall #96-066 — February 13, 1996

Recall Summary

Recall Number96-066
Recall DateFebruary 13, 1996
Remedy TypeRepair
Units Affected345,775

Product

Chest Freezers

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C.- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), W.C. Wood Company Inc. of Ottawa, Ohio, is announcing a voluntary recall to repair 345,775 chest freezers. The freezer's lock mechanism can be forced open without a key. Therefore, if a child opens the freezer and climbs or falls in, the lock could re-latch, trapping the child inside. The freezers were sold from January 1991 through February 1996 in five different sizes: 7, 10, 12, 15, and 22 cubic feet. All of the freezers are white or almond. The freezers were sold nationwide for retail prices ranging from $199 to $549 through the following companies and brand names: W.C. Wood Company distributed as Woods Brand and Quickfrez Brand; Danby Products Inc. of Findlay, Ohio, distributed as Danby Brand; Crosley Group of Winston-Salem, N.C., distributed as Crosley Brand; Whirlpool Corporation of Benton Harbor, Mich., distributed as Whirlpool Brand, Roper Brand, and Estate Brand. W.C. Wood Co. is aware of five reports of incidents in which children have opened locked freezers without a key, including one report of a child who allegedly became trapped in the freezer but was found and released by an adult. The company is not aware of any injuries involving these freezers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury. Consumers with recalled Whirlpool, Roper or Estate brand freezers should contact Whirlpool Corp. toll-free at (866) 580-9177 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, to determine if they have an affected freezer. Before calling, consumers should have the brand, model and serial number of their freezer, which they can get from the plate on the front inside wall on the right side, or the outside back wall next to the temperature control. Whirlpool will send a free modification kit to consumers with recalled Whirlpool, Roper or Estate brand freezers. Until the freezer lock is modified, unlock the lid and place the key in a child-safe location. There is no remedy for unrepaired Wood's, Quickfrez, Danby and Crosley freezers. Disable and destroy unrepaired freezers.

Hazard

The freezer's lock mechanism can be forced open without a key. Therefore, if a child opens the freezer and climbs or falls in, the lock could re-latch, trapping the child inside.

Incidents & Injuries

W.C. Wood Co. is aware of five reports of incidents in which children have opened locked freezers without a key, including one report of a child who allegedly became trapped in the freezer but was found and released by an adult. The company is not aware of any injuries involving these freezers. This recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury.

Remedy Instructions

Whirlpool will send a free modification kit to consumers with recalled Whirlpool, Roper or Estate brand freezers. Until the freezer lock is modified, unlock the lid and place the key in a child-safe location. There is no remedy for unrepaired Wood's, Quickfrez, Danby and Crosley freezers. Disable and destroy unrepaired freezers.

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.

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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 (Repair) at no cost to you.

Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.

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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