Maytag Recalls 2.3 Million Dishwashers



Friday February 2, 5:58 AM EST


NEWTON, Iowa (AP) - Maytag is voluntarily recalling 2.3 million Maytag and
Jenn-Air brand dishwashers because of faulty wiring, the company and the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement released
Thursday.

The recalled appliances are blamed for causing 135 fires and four injuries.

Affected dishwashers were sold at department and appliances stores between
July 1997 and June 2001 and sold at prices between $370 and $800. The
dishwashers were manufactured in the United States.

The machines should immediately be disconnected from electrical power by
shutting off a circuit breaker or disconnecting a fuse, the CPSC said.

Maytag will provide free in-home repair or a $75 cash back reimbursement on
the purchase of a new Maytag, Jenn-Air, Whirlpool or KitchenAid dishwasher.



The company said liquid rinse-aid can leak from the appliances' dispenser
into internal wiring and short-circuit and ignite.

Maytag has received 135 reports of dishwasher fires, resulting in product
and/or property damage. Four injuries have been reported, including three
reports of smoke inhalation and one serious hand laceration as the consumer
was operating a fire extinguisher to put out a dishwasher fire.

The recall involves under-counter or portable plastic tub dishwashers with
black, white, almond, bisque or stainless steel front panels.

Maytag, once the nation's third largest appliance maker, was bought by
Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool Corp. on March 31, 2006, in a deal
valued at $2.6 billion.

---

Consumers should contact Maytag at 1-800-675-0535 to determine if their
dishwasher is included in the recall or visit the company's Web site at .
Maytag customer service is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
EST.http://www.repair.maytag.com

The CPSC has a Web site with photographs and lists of model and serial
numbers for models included in the recall at .http://www.cpsc.gov

On Feb 2, 7:15 am, jay > wrote:
> On Fri, 02 Feb 2007 12:44:41 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> > The recalled appliances are blamed for causing 135 fires and four injuries.
>
> Interesting that they waited for the 135 th fire to recall. Bureaucracy at
> its finest! Personally I am *done* with Maytag. Too many problems and the
> repair man is dead...overworked!
>
> jay


Don't forget that they've been bought out by Whirlpool, which also
owns KitchenAid and a bunch of other former appliance makers. The
dishwashers in question predate the buyout, which was last March.

N.

On Feb 2, 2:27�pm, "Nancy2" > wrote:
> On Feb 2, 7:15 am, jay > wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 02 Feb 2007 12:44:41 GMT, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> > > The recalled appliances are blamed for causing 135 fires and four injuries.
>
> > Interesting that they waited for the 135 th fire to recall. *Bureaucracy at
> > its finest! *Personally I am *done* with Maytag. *Too many problems and the
> > repair man is dead...overworked!
>
> > jay
>
> Don't forget that they've been bought out by Whirlpool, which also
> owns KitchenAid and a bunch of other former appliance makers. *The
> dishwashers in question predate the buyout, which was last March.

Yep, Kenmore is Whirlpool too. And not to mention that most all
appliances share the very same brands of components; motors, controls,
pumps, transmissions, heating elements etc., etc.... even the very
same drive belts and diode pilot lamps.

My Maytag dishwasher works just fine, I've no complaints. There is no
Maytag repairman anyway. The retailers where the units are purchased
supplies the repair service... If ever my Maytag dishwasher needs
service it'll be the Sears guy.

That said everyone should keep track of their major appliance warranty
dates, about three months before they expire call for service even if
nothing is broken... just say you hear strange sounds coming from the
machine intermittently. The service guy will check out the entire
machine, make adjustements, and will replace parts like belts,
springs, hoses, even heater elements, and tighten all nuts and bolts,
will even relevel the machine... all under the terms of the warranty.
Long ago a Sears guy taught me this... said the consumer is entitled
to this service during the warranty period.... the service departments
get notifications daily of items to check. But most people wait until
a breakdown occurs and by then the warranty has expired, so they need
to pay. If the particular problem has been noted prior to warranty
expiration then it becomes a preexisting problem and is covered
forever.

Sheldon