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RCA® 650-Watt Home Entertainment amplifiers

CPSC Recall #03-108 — April 16, 2003

Recall Summary

Recall Number03-108
Recall DateApril 16, 2003
Remedy TypeRepair
Units AffectedAbout 50,000
Manufactured InChina

Where It Was Sold

Radio Shack
Best Buy
and other retailers sold the amplifiers from May 2002 through March 2003 for between $300 and $380.

Product

RCA® 650-Watt Home Entertainment amplifiers

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Thomson Inc., of Indianapolis, Ind., is voluntarily recalling about 50,000 home entertainment amplifiers. The amplifier can overheat due to a lack of ventilation, which can cause melting of the plastic front cover and pose a shock hazard to consumers.Thomson has received 12 reports of the amplifiers overheating, some of which resulted in melting of the plastic front cover or faceplate. No injuries have been reported.The recalled RCA® 650-Watt Home Entertainment amplifiers include model numbers RT2600, RT2600DVD and RT2600DVD5 and serial numbers beginning with 220 through 230. The model and serial numbers can be found on a label on the back of the unit in the lower left corner. The recalled units may also have an "A" as the last character in the model number. The amplifier units are silver and are about 17 inches wide, 16 inches deep, and 5 inches high. The amplifiers were manufactured in China.Radio Shack, Best Buy, and other retailers sold the amplifiers from May 2002 through March 2003 for between $300 and $380.Consumers should unplug the units immediately and contact Thomson at (866) 670-4844 anytime for information on how to receive a free repair. Consumers also can contact Thomson at Thomson Inc., RCA Home Entertainment Amplifier Recall, P.O. Box 1976, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1976.

Hazard

The amplifier can overheat due to a lack of ventilation, which can cause melting of the plastic front cover and pose a shock hazard to consumers.

Incidents & Injuries

Thomson has received 12 reports of the amplifiers overheating, some of which resulted in melting of the plastic front cover or faceplate. No injuries have been reported.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should unplug the units immediately and contact Thomson at (866) 670-4844 anytime for information on how to receive a free repair.

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.

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.

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