Kidde fire extinguishers with plastic handles
CPSC Recall #18-022 — November 1, 2017
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 18-022 |
| Recall Date | November 1, 2017 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 37.8 million (in addition, 2.7 million in Canada and 6,730 in Mexico) |
| Importer | Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Company Inc., of Mebane, N.C. |
| Manufactured In | United States and Mexico |
Where It Was Sold
| Menards |
| Montgomery Ward |
| Sears |
| The Home Depot |
| Walmart and other department |
| home and hardware stores nationwide |
| and online at Amazon.com |
| ShopKidde.com and other online retailers for between $12 and $50 and for about $200 for model XL 5MR. These fire extinguishers were also sold with commercial trucks |
| recreational vehicles |
| personal watercraft and boats. |
Product
Kidde fire extinguishers with plastic handles
Description
This recall involves two styles of Kidde fire extinguishers: plastic handle fire extinguishers and push-button Pindicator fire extinguishers.Plastic handle fire extinguishers: The recall involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between January 1, 1973 and August 15, 2017, including models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015. The extinguishers were sold in red, white and silver, and are either ABC- or BC-rated. The model number is printed on the fire extinguisher label. For units produced in 2007 and beyond, the date of manufacture is a 10-digit date code printed on the side of the cylinder, near the bottom. Digits five through nine represent the day and year of manufacture in DDDYY format. Date codes for recalled models manufactured from January 2, 2012 through August 15, 2017 are 00212 through 22717. For units produced before 2007, a date code is not printed on the fire extinguisher.Plastic-handle models produced between January 1, 1973 and October 25, 20152A40BCGillette TPS-1 1A10BCSams SM 3406 RAPHome 10BCSanford 1A10BC6 TAPHome 1A10BCSanford 2A40BCAdemco 720 1A10BCHome 2A40BCSanford TPS-1 1A10BCAdemco 722 2A40BCHome H-10 10BCSanford TPS-1 2A40BCADT 3A40BCHome H-110 1A10BCSears 2RPS 5BCAll Purpose 2A40BCHome H-240 2A-40BCSears 58033 10BCBicentenial RPS-2 10BCHoneywell 1A10BCSears 58043 1A10BCBicentenial TPS-2 1A-10BCHoneywell TPS-1 1A10BCSears 5805 2A40BCCostco 340J.L. 2A40BCSears 958034FA 340HDJ.L. TPS-1 2A40BCSears 958044FA240HDKadet 2RPS-1 5BCSears 958054FC 340ZKidde 10BCSears 958075FC SuperKidde 1A10BCSears RPS-1 10BCFC210R-C8SKidde 2A40BCSears TPS-1 1A10BCFire Away 10BC SpanishKidde 40BCSears TPS-1 2A40BCFire Away 1A10BC SpanishKidde RPS-1 10BCTraveler 10BCFire Away 2A40BC SpanishKidde RPS-1 40BCTraveler 1A10BCFireaway 10 (F-10)Kidde TPS-1 1A10BCTraveler 2A40BCFireaway 10BCKidde TPS-1 2A40BCTraveler T-10 10BCFireaway 110 (F-110)KX 2-1/2 TCZTraveler T-110 1A10BCFireaway 1A10BCMariner 10BCTraveler T-240 2A40BCFireaway 240 (F-240)Mariner 1A10BCVolunteer 1A10BCFireaway 2A40BCMariner 2A40BCVolunteer TPS-V 1A10BCForce 9 2A40BCMariner M-10 10BCXL 2.5 TCZFS 340ZMariner M-110 1A10BCXL 2.5 TCZ-3Fuller 420 1A10BCMariner M-240 2A40BCXL 2.5 TCZ-4Fuller Brush 420 1A10BCMaster Protection 2A40BCXL 2.75 RZFX210Montgomery Ward 10BCXL 2.75 RZ-3FX210RMontgomery Ward 1A-10BCXL 2-3/4 RZFX210WMontgomery Ward 8627 1A10BCXL 340HDFX340GWMontgomery Ward 8637 10BCXL 4 TXZFX340GW-2Quell 10BCXL 5 PKFX340HQuell 1A10BCXL 5 TCZFX340SCQuell RPS-1 10BCXL 5 TCZ-1FX340SC-2Quell TPS-1 1A10BCXL5 MRGillette 1A10BCQuell ZRPS 5BCXL 6 RZ Plastic-handle models with date codes between January 2, 2012 and August 15, 2017AUTO FX5 II-1FC5M10GFA10GFS10M10GMFA10TFS110M110GFA110GFS5M110GMFA5-1FX10KM5GFA5GFX5 IIM5GMFC10H110GRESSPFC110H5G Push-button Pindicator fire extinguishers: The recall involves eight models of Kidde Pindicator fire extinguishers manufactured between August 11, 1995 and September 22, 2017. The no-gauge push-button extinguishers were sold in red and white, and with a red or black nozzle. These models were sold primarily for kitchen and personal watercraft applications.Push Button Pindicator Models manufactured between August 11, 1995 and September 22, 2017KK2M5PM100DAUTO 5FX210DAUTO 5FX-1M5PFF 210D-1
Hazard
The fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during a fire emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard.
Incidents & Injuries
The firm is aware of a 2014 death involving a car fire following a crash. Emergency responders could not get the recalled Kidde fire extinguishers to work. There have been approximately 391 reports of failed or limited activation or nozzle detachment, including the fatality, approximately 16 injuries, including smoke inhalation and minor burns, and approximately 91 reports of property damage.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately contact Kidde to request a free replacement fire extinguisher and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly in a fire emergency.Note: This recall includes fire extinguisher models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015. Kidde branded fire extinguishers included in these previously announced recalls should also be replaced. All affected model numbers are listed in the charts above.Recall information for fire extinguishers used in RVs and motor vehicles can be found on NHTSA’s website.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a 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 (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.