GE Spacemaker radio cassette players
CPSC Recall #99-056 — February 2, 1999
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 99-056 |
| Recall Date | February 2, 1999 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | About 424,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| Department |
| electronic and discount stores nationwide sold the units from January 1992 through December 1995 for about $50 to $80. |
Product
GE Spacemaker radio cassette players
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc., of Indianapolis, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 424,000 GE Spacemaker radio cassette players. The unit has an appliance outlet that can overheat, presenting a fire hazard to consumers.Thomson Consumer Electronics has received three reports of appliance outlets on the units overheating and catching fire, causing minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.Only units with model number 7-4285 are involved in this recall. The model number is located on the top of the unit and may or may not be followed by a letter. The unit is designed for under-the-cabinet use and consists of an AM/FM stereo cassette player, a light and a programmable appliance outlet, which allows for a timer to control the power to the outlet. The appliance outlet is located on the left side of the unit. "GE Spacemaker...AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player...Programmable Appliance Outlet" is on the front of the unit. The control panel is black and is located on the front of the unit between the two speakers.Department, electronic and discount stores nationwide sold the units from January 1992 through December 1995 for about $50 to $80.No other Spacemaker models are involved in this recall.
Hazard
The unit has an appliance outlet that can overheat, presenting a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Thomson Consumer Electronics has received three reports of appliance outlets on the units overheating and catching fire, causing minor property damage. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product. The firm is no longer in business. A remedy is no longer available. Dispose of this recalled product.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Dispose, No Remedy Available 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 (Dispose, No Remedy Available) 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.