Major recall of GE dishwashers

If you own a GE dishwasher, the following recall could affect you.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on May 16, 2007, announced a recall of about 2.5 million dishwashers made by Louisville, Ky.–based GE Consumer & Industrial because of a fire hazard.

The dishwashers (about $400) were sold at department and appliance stores nationwide from September 1997 through December 2001 under the Eterna, GE, GE Profile, GE Monogram, Hotpoint, and Kenmore (Sears) brands. They came in white, black, almond, bisque, black, stainless steel, and white.

To determine whether you own a recalled model, visit the CPSC recall page or the GE recall page. If you have a recalled dishwasher, stop using it immediately, says the CPSC.

Liquid rinse aid leaking from the dispenser can come in contact with internal wiring and cause short circuits that start a fire, says the CPSC. This recall might sound familiar. In February, Maytag and Jenn-Air recalled 2.3 million dishwashers for a similar problem.

GE is offering a free repair of the problem or a rebate on the purchase of new dishwasher ($150 for a GE model and $300 for a GE Monogram or GE Profile model). For more information about the recall, a repair, or a rebate, call GE (877-607-6395, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Saturday) or go to the GE recall page. Be sure to have the model and serial numbers on hand when you call. You’ll find them inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the appliance.

Essential information: If you’re in the market for a new dishwasher, read our report on and buying guide to dishwashers. (Ratings are available to subscribers.) Look for a brand-new dishwashers report, including updated Ratings, in the August 2007 issue of Consumer Reports, on sale in July. For more on this recall, see the Consumer Reports On Safety blog.

Comments

[Adlai Taha]

I have a GE Profile stainless steel dishwasher that I bought brand new in May 2005 that is exhibiting very similar problems. My wife and I were awakened by a burning plastic smell. I immediately ran downstairs to find our kitchen filled with smoke from the dishwasher that she set off to run while we were sleeping using the delay facility. After disassembling the door, I found the computer control module almost complete melted with the wires fused together. I cannot imagine I'm alone here. Surprisingly, the repair center stated he had never heard of this problem with our dishwasher, model number beginning with PDW9280, and will have a repair technician there in two days to fix. This could have been a serious problem if we were not awakened by the smell or were simply out while the machine was running. This issue needs to be recognized by GE ASAP.