Stanley and Fimbel Garage Door Openers
CPSC Recall #91059 — April 18, 1991
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 91059 |
| Recall Date | April 18, 1991 |
| Remedy Type | Dispose, No Remedy Available |
| Units Affected | 5,000 |
Product
Stanley and Fimbel Garage Door Openers
Description
WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Stanley Electronics Division of The Stanley Works, located in Novi, MI, announced the recall of several models of circuit boards used in the manufacture of Stanley and Fimbel Garage Door Openers. The company believed, due to a problem with printed circuit boards used in affected garage door openers, the door may open or close without warning. This condition renders the automatic reversal safety feature inoperable. As a result, when the door closes, it will not reverse as intended upon striking a person or object. This poses a risk of injury or death if entrapment occurs. The company reported this problem to the CPSC as soon as it became apparent. The company was not aware of any injuries. The automatic garage door openers were sold nationwide between January 14, 1991 and April 11, 1991, under the names Stanley and Fimbel (under the brands of Power Lift, and EZ Lift). The openers were sold by retail stores and garage door opener installers and dealers across the United States. While the majority of affected units were stopped in inventory, some 5,000 defective openers may be in consumers' possession. Brand names, model designations and date codes are as follows: - Stanley units affected have date codes 91-04-1 through 91-15-5. The date code is designated on a data plate located on the end panel at the back of the power unit. See illustration below. - Power Lift and EZ Lift units are both models 91R. The date codes affected are 01-21-91 through 04-11-91. The date code is found on the back panel in the lower right hand corner of the power unit. Consumers who purchased any of the openers should look on the power unit mounted on the garage ceiling for the date code. Owners of recalled openers should unplug and disconnect the opener immediately and then discard or destroy the product. As the company has sold its garage door division and is no longer involved with garage doors, there is no longer a remedy available as part of this recall. Continued use of affected doors in any but the manual mode of operation could result in serious injury or death. Failure to unplug the unit may result in electrical fire. The CPSC's mission is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The CPSC is the federal agency responsible for consumer product safety. Some 15,000 different types of consumer products fall within the Commission's jurisdiction and each year these products are involved in an estimated 29 million injuries and 22,000 deaths.
Hazard
The company believed, due to a problem with printed circuit boards used in affected garage door openers, the door may open or close without warning. This poses a risk of injury or death if entrapment occurs.
Remedy Instructions
Owners of recalled openers should unplug and disconnect the opener immediately and then discard or destroy the product. As the company has sold its garage door division and is no longer involved with garage doors, there is no longer a remedy available as part of this recall.
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.
Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product — whether recalled or not — you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.
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.