Vehicle Safety
Recalls Search 320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Complaints 2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs 4.7M technical service bulletins VIN Lookup Decode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes 12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel Economy EPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings 11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations 5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations Statistics Recall trends & safety analysis
Consumer Safety
Product Safety 9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety 28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety 1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety 17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety 38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety 102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand History Cross-category recall lookup by company
Infrastructure
Bridge Safety 624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety 30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety 92,600 dam safety records Water Safety 433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety 438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety 8,800+ pipeline incidents State Safety Dashboards Safety grades for all 50 U.S. states ZIP Safety Report Check any 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets
Public Health
Nursing Homes 14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental 80,000+ hazardous sites & releases
Blog

Vehicle Safety

Vehicle Recalls320,000+ NHTSA safety recalls Browse VehiclesEvery make, model and year Complaints2.1M+ consumer safety complaints TSBs4.7M technical service bulletins VIN LookupDecode any vehicle VIN instantly OBD Codes12,000+ diagnostic trouble codes Fuel EconomyEPA MPG data for all vehicles Safety Ratings11,700+ NHTSA crash test ratings Investigations5,300+ NHTSA defect investigations StatisticsRecall trends & safety analysis Compare VehiclesTwo vehicles side by side

Consumer Safety

Product Safety9,700+ CPSC product recalls Food Safety28,600+ FDA food recalls Pet Safety1.3M FDA animal adverse events Drug Safety17,500+ FDA drug recalls Device Safety38,400+ FDA device recalls Workplace Safety102,900+ OSHA injury reports Brand HistoryRecall lookup by company

Infrastructure

Bridge Safety624,000 bridge inspections Aviation Safety30,000+ NTSB aviation events Dam Safety92,600 dam safety records Water Safety433,000+ public water systems Railroad Safety438,000+ rail crossings Pipeline Safety8,800+ pipeline incidents State DashboardsSafety grades for all 50 states ZIP ReportAny 5-digit ZIP across 9 datasets

Public Health

Nursing Homes14,700 CMS rated facilities Environmental80,000+ hazardous sites & releases BlogGuides, news & safety insights

Sun Vac wet vac/dry cleaning vacuum attachment

CPSC Recall #82-019 - April 21, 1982

Recall Summary

Recall Number82-019
Recall DateApril 21, 1982
Remedy TypeRefund
Units AffectedApproximately 1,000

Product

Sun Vac wet vac/dry cleaning vacuum attachment

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sun Hill Industries, Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced today that it is recalling its Sun Vac, a wet vac/dry cleaning vacuum attachment, because of a potential electric shock hazard. This product converts a regular dry vacuum cleaner to a vacuum cleaner which can pick up water or other liquids from floors and other surfaces. The product consists of a 3 1/2-gallon plastic bucket and two adapter hoses, one of which can be connected to a dry vacuum cleaner. Sun Hill Industries and the CPSC are concerned that an electric shock hazard could result if the product's bucket becomes full of water or accidentally tips over. Water could then be sucked into the vacuum cleaner, soaking the motor. This could result in a potentially severe or fatal electric shock if anyone touched a metallic part of the vacuum cleaner while standing on a wet floor. No accidents have been reported by purchasers or users of the attachment since it was first introduced in March of 1980. However, Sun Hill Industries is recalling the product in the interest of consumer safety. Sales were discontinued in February 1981, after almost 1,000 units had been distributed. Consumers who have purchased the Sun Vac are requested to return the product directly to Sun Hill Industries, Inc., Glenbrook Industrial Park, 652 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906. Refunds for the original purchase price, and for transporting Sun Vac back to the company, will be forwarded directly to the purchaser. Consumers who have questions on return of the product or who wish further clarification should call collect Sun Hill Industries, Inc. at 203-324-7550.

Hazard

Sun Hill Industries and the CPSC are concerned that an electric shock hazard could result if the product's bucket becomes full of water or accidentally tips over. Water could then be sucked into the vacuum cleaner, soaking the motor. This could result in a potentially severe or fatal electric shock if anyone touched a metallic part of the vacuum cleaner while standing on a wet floor.

Incidents & Injuries

No accidents have been reported by purchasers or users of the attachment since it was first introduced in March of 1980. However, Sun Hill Industries is recalling the product in the interest of consumer safety.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers who have purchased the Sun Vac are requested to return the product directly to Sun Hill Industries, Inc., Glenbrook Industrial Park, 652 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906. Refunds for the original purchase price, and for transporting Sun Vac back to the company, will be forwarded directly to the purchaser.

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.

Browse All Product Recalls Recalls by Manufacturer Recalls by Retailer Browse by Hazard Type

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.

No, you should stop using the product entirely, not just unplug it. Electric shock and fire hazards in recalled electrical products often involve internal wiring defects, faulty components, or insulation failures that can cause harm even after the product has been off for a period of time. Do not attempt to repair the product yourself. Keep it unplugged and stored safely until you receive the manufacturer's remedy. If the product has already shown signs of overheating, sparking, or discoloration, handle it carefully and consider contacting your local fire department for guidance on safe disposal.

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.

Back to All Product Recalls