The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·03176·Announced 2003-08-29

IBM G51 CRT Monitors Recalled for Fire and Smoke Hazard

IBM and LiteOn Technology are expanding a recall of G51 CRT monitors due to a circuit board defect that can cause overheating, smoke, and fire.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with reported minor property damage and minor smoke inhalation, which aligns with the rubric criteria for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' or risk-of-harm products where injury has been reported.

Plain-English summary

IBM and LiteOn Technology are expanding a previously announced recall of IBM G51 CRT and G51t Touch Screen CRT monitors. The recall covers 63,000 additional units, bringing the total to 119,000 monitors. These units were manufactured in China, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom and sold in the United States from June 1997 through December 1998.

The recall is being issued because the monitors' circuit boards can overheat and smoke, posing a fire hazard. IBM and LiteOn have received seven reports of monitors overheating and smoking. These reports include one instance of minor property damage and one instance of minor smoke inhalation.

Affected model numbers include 6541-02N, 6541-02E, 6541-02S, 6541-Q0N, 6541-Q0E, and 6541-Q0S. The G51 models also have a date of manufacture between June 1997 and September 1998 on the back label. Consumers should stop using these monitors immediately and contact the IBM Repair Center at (800) 426-7378 to confirm coverage. Recalled units will receive a free inspection and repair or a replacement.

The recalled product

Product
IBM monitors: G51 CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and G51t Touch Screen CRT models
Manufacturer
LiteOn Technology, of Taipei, Taiwan
Category
Consumer Product — Computer Equipment
Hazard
Affected units
63,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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