Coby 32-inch flat screen televisions
CPSC Recall #14-054 - December 12, 2013
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 14-054 |
| Recall Date | December 12, 2013 |
| Remedy Type | Refund, Replace |
| Units Affected | About 8,900 |
| Manufacturer | Coby Electronics Co. Ltd., of Hong Kong |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| ABC Warehouse |
| ALCO Stores Inc. |
| Fry's Electronics |
| h.h. gregg |
| Nebraska Furniture Mart |
| P.C. Richard & Son |
| Sears/Kmart |
| Stanford Electronics |
| Toys R Us |
| online at BestBuy.com |
| bestbuy.dtdeals.com |
| dealtree.com and techliquidators.com |
| and online and by catalog at homeatfive.com |
| seventhavenue.com and wards.com |
| and other stores and sites nationwide |
| from August 2011 through November 2013 for between $170 and $260. |
Product
Coby 32-inch flat screen televisions
Description
An electronic component in the TVs can fail, catch fire and ignite nearby items.
Hazard
An electronic component can fail, catch fire and ignite nearby items, posing fire and burn hazards.
Incidents & Injuries
CPSC has received reports of six incidents involving the televisions overheating, smoking or catching fire. One incident involved a television catching on fire and scorching a wall. Another involved a fire that was limited to the television. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug the recalled televisions and contact the participating retailer where their television was purchased for instructions on the remedy available from that retailer, which could be a refund, store credit, gift card or replacement TV. Because the importer/distributor Coby USA is out of business, the retailers are providing the remedy. The remedy and terms vary between the retailers.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund, Replace 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 (Refund, Replace) 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.