The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·03088·Announced 2003-03-04

IBM Recalls G51 and G51t CRT Monitors for Fire Hazard

IBM is recalling approximately 56,000 G51 and G51t CRT computer monitors because the circuit board can overheat and smoke, posing a fire hazard.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with reports of overheating and smoking, including one instance of minor property damage, but no injuries have been reported, fitting the High severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

IBM is recalling approximately 56,000 G51 CRT and G51t Touch Screen CRT computer monitors. The recall is due to a defect where the monitor's circuit board can overheat and smoke, creating a fire hazard for consumers.

The affected monitors were sold from June 1997 through December 1998 for about $370. They were distributed by IBM, MicroTouch Systems, and major retail stores nationwide, including Best Buy, CompUSA, Office Max, and Radio Shack. The G51 and G51t models have specific model numbers on a label on the back of the unit: 6541-02N, 6541-02E, 6541-02S, 6541-Q0N, 6541-Q0E, and 6541-Q0S. The label on the back of the recalled G51 models also has a date of manufacture between June 1997 and September 1997. The "IBM" logo is located on the front of the units.

IBM has received five reports of monitors overheating and smoking, including one report of minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. Consumers should stop using these monitors immediately and contact the IBM Repair Center at (800) 426-7378 for a free inspection and repair or replacement. More information is available at www.ibm.com/pc/g51recall.

The recalled product

Product
IBM G51 CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and G51t Touch Screen CRT Computer Monitors
Category
Consumer Product — Computer Equipment
Hazard
Affected units
56,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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