The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereCPSC·98139·Announced 1998-07-09

Honeywell Electric Baseboard Heater Thermostats Recalled for Fire Hazard

Honeywell is recalling electric baseboard heater thermostats rated for higher wattage than they can handle, posing a fire risk.

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 instances of ignition and property damage (fire and smoke damage), which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for significant injury/property-damage reports.

Plain-English summary

Honeywell Inc. is recalling approximately 2,600 electric baseboard heater thermostats in the United States and revising the rating of 26,000 others in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The thermostats, sold under the Honeywell and King Chronolux brands, were rated at a maximum of 3,800 watts, which exceeds their actual capacity. If connected to heaters using more power than the thermostats can handle, they can overheat, presenting a potential fire hazard.

The affected units include Honeywell models T4600 and CT1650, as well as King Chronolux model K4600S. These white, rectangular thermostats with digital displays were sold at home centers and hardware stores across the United States between January 1996 and June 1998 for less than $80. They were also installed in homes by contractors. Honeywell has identified 10 instances of overheating in the U.S., two of which resulted in ignition, causing fire damage to the thermostat casing and smoke damage to surrounding walls. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the affected thermostats and call Honeywell toll-free at (877) 575-4533 to determine if their unit is involved. Honeywell will provide a replacement thermostat rated to 5,280 watts for units connected to heaters above 2,500 watts, or new labels to revise the maximum wattage to 2,500 watts for units connected to heaters at 2,500 watts or below.

The recalled product

Product
Honeywell electric baseboard heater thermostats
Manufacturer
King Chronolux
Category
Consumer Product — Home Heating
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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