Polartec Heat® Electric Blanket
CPSC Recall #02-520 — January 27, 2002
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 02-520 |
| Recall Date | January 27, 2002 |
| Remedy Type | Refund |
| Units Affected | 15,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| Lands' End |
| Inc. catalog and web site sold these blankets nationwide from October 2001 through December 2001 for between about $160 to $220. |
Product
Polartec Heat® Electric Blanket
Description
Lands' End, Inc. of Dodgeville, Wis., is voluntarily recalling about 15,000 Polartec Heat® electric blankets. The recalled blankets are style numbers 73176, 73197 and 73198. They were sold in twin, double, queen and king sizes in various colors including deep forest, mineral green, cornflower, brick red, and dark camel. The blankets have a white label with writing "Polartec Heat Blanket" and operating and care instructions.
Hazard
Some of the blankets may contain a loose connection that may cause the unit to not function or to short circuit, posing a risk of fire.
Incidents & Injuries
Lands' End, Inc. has received one report of a loose connection. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the recalled Polartec Heat® Blanket immediately and contact Lands' End, Inc. Purchasers will receive a full refund and a $50 gift certificate. If the blanket was a gift, consumers should call Lands' End, Inc. toll free at (866) 785-5561 to provide Lands' End, Inc. with the name, address and phone number of the recipient so that it may follow up with him or her. Purchasers were sent direct mail notification of this recall.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Refund 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) 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.