The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·04104·Announced 2004-03-25

Fedders Window Air Conditioners Recalled for Fire Hazard

Fedders is recalling about 13,500 window air conditioners with electric heat because a blocked fan blade could cause a fire. Consumers should discard the units as the manufacturer is out of business.

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 10 reported fires, which meets the rubric criteria for 'Severe' (score 4) due to significant property-damage reports, even though no injuries were reported.

Plain-English summary

Fedders Corporation is recalling about 13,500 8,000 BTU window air conditioners with electric heat. The units were sold under the brand names Fedders, Maytag, and Comfort-Aire from January 2003 through February 2004 at major home centers and department stores, including The Home Depot and Wal-Mart, for about $400.

The recall is due to a fire hazard. If the outside fan blade becomes blocked, the unit could present a fire hazard when operating in the heating mode. Fedders has received 10 reports of fires with these units, but there have been no reported injuries and no serious damage has resulted.

Because the company is no longer in business, the recall remedy is no longer available. Consumers should discard the product and not donate or resell it. Consumers can call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772 for more information.

The recalled product

Product
Window air conditioners with electric heat
Manufacturer
Fedders Corporation, of Liberty Corner, N.J.
Category
Consumer Product — Home Appliances
Hazard
Affected units
13,500

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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