By Craig Zammit
WASHINGTON, D.C: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in conjunction with General Electric has recalled over 2.5 million GE dishwashers due to dangerous overheating, but local GE supplier, Kleenmaid, has said the recall will not impact the Australian market.
The recall was initiated after a fire hazard was detected in GE built-in dishwashers sold under the brand names Eterna, GE, GE Profile, GE Monogram, Hotpoint and Sears-Kenmore.
Liquid rinse-aid leaking from its dispenser onto the dishwasher’s internal wiring was reported as the cause of the fault, resulting in a potential electrical short and overheating, posing a potential fire hazard to consumers.
“GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher, with fire damage being limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported,” General Electric said in a statement.
Andrew Young, managing director of Australian GE supplier, Kleenmaid, told Current.com.au that the recall has not affected the local market because the company only sells GE refrigerators.
“No GE dishwashers have been sold in Australia for the last 25 years,” said Young.
The affected dishwashers were sold at department and appliances stores throughout the USA between September 1997 and December 2001.
US consumers have been advised to immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.