The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·11324·Announced 2011-09-14

LG Electronics Recalls Goldstar and Comfort-Aire Dehumidifiers Due to Fire Risk

LG Electronics is reannouncing a recall for about 98,000 Goldstar and Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers because a power connector can short circuit, posing fire and burn hazards.

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 structural defect causing significant property damage (over $1 million) and multiple significant fires, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' under the Severe (4) classification.

Plain-English summary

LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co. is reannouncing a recall for approximately 98,000 30-pint portable dehumidifiers sold under the Goldstar and Comfort-Aire brands. The affected units were sold at The Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware, Do It Best, Orgill Inc., and other retailers nationwide from January 2007 through June 2008 for between $140 and $150. The dehumidifiers are white with a red shut-off button and a front-loading water bucket.

The recall is prompted by a defect in the power connector for the compressor, which can short circuit and pose fire and burn hazards to consumers and their property. Since the initial recall in December 2009, the company has received 16 additional incident reports of arcing, smoke, and fire, including nine significant fires. No injuries have been reported, but the fires have caused more than $1 million in property damage to homes in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, and New Jersey.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dehumidifiers and unplug them. They should contact LG Electronics toll-free at (877) 220-0479 or visit www.30pintdehumidifierrecall.com to arrange a free repair at an authorized service center.

The recalled product

Product
Goldstar or Comfort-Aire dehumidifiers
Manufacturer
LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co.
Category
Consumer Product — Home Appliances
Hazard
Affected units
98,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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