Recall Alert: Shoes, Dishwashers, Infant Car Seats - June 2007

General Electric Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: GE Dishwashers

Units: About 2.5 million

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Kentucky

Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser onto the dishwasher’s internal wiring which can cause an electrical short and overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold under the following brand names: Eterna, GE, GE Profile™, GE Monogram®, Hotpoint®, and Sears-Kenmore. The dishwashers were sold in white, black, almond, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the dishwasher’s front control panel.

The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the dishwasher:

• Eterna - Model numbers beginning with: EDW20, EDW30
• GE and GE Profile - Model numbers beginning with: GHD50, GSD40, GSD41, GSD43, GSD46, GSD4910Z, GSD4920Z, GSD4930Z, GSD4940Z0, GSD50, GSD51, GSD521, GSD522, GSD523, GSD531, GSD532, GSD533, GSD535, GSD536, GSD55, GSD56, GSD57, GSD58, GSD59, GSDL3, GSDL6
• GE Monogram - Model numbers beginning with: ZBD3500Z0
• Serial numbers for products listed above must begin with: SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ, AA, DA, FA, GA, HA, LA, MA, RA, SA, TA, VA, ZA
• Hotpoint - Model numbers beginning with: HDA3400F, HDA35
• GE and GE Profile - Model numbers beginning with: GHD35, GSD21, GSD2200D, GSD2200F, GSD2200G, GSD2201F, GSD2220F, GSD2221F, GSD2230F, GSD2231F, GSD2250F GSD23, GSD26, GSD27, GSD3115F, GSD3125F, GSD3135F, GSD3200G, GSD3210F, GSD3220F, GSD3230F, GSD33, GSD341, GSD342, GSD343, GSD345, GSD3610F, GSD3620F, GSD3630F, GSD3650F GSD37, GSD381, GSD382, GSD383, GSD385, GSD391, GSD392, GSD393, GSD4525F, GSD4535F, GSD4555F, GSDL122F, GSDL132F, GSDL24, GSM2100F, GSM2100G, GSM2100Z0, GSM2110D, GSM2110F, GSM2130D, GSM2130F
• Serial numbers for products listed above must begin with: SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ
• Sears-Kenmore - Model numbers beginning with: 363.1438, 363.1447, 363.1445, 363.1448, 363.1457, 363.1467, 363.1475, 363.15161792, 363.1517, 363.1521, 363.1527, 363.1528, 363.1531, 363.1532, 363.1546, 363.1547, 363.1548, 363.1556, 363.1565, 363.1567, 363.1617, 363.1655
• Serial numbers for products listed above must begin with: SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from September 1997 through December 2001 for about $400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact General Electric toll-free at (877) 607-6395 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. Consumers also can visit the firm’s website at www.geappliances.com

Payless ShoeSource Recalls Children’s Clog Shoes Due to Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Children’s Airwalk® Compel Shoes

Units: About 690,000

Manufacturer: Payless ShoeSource, Inc., of Topeka, Kansas

Hazard: Plastic rivets used to attach the strap to the shoe can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Payless has received one report of a child who began to choke on a detached rivet. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Airwalk® Compel clog shoes sold in prewalk sizes 3 through toddler size 10. The flexible shoes have air ventilation holes on the top and side and plastic rivets with the Airwalk® logo attached to the strap. Airwalk® and the shoe size are printed on the sole of the shoe. No other sizes, styles or models are included in this recall.

Sold at: Payless ShoeSource and Pamida stores nationwide and Payless.com from August 2006 through early April 2007 for about $13.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should take the shoes away from young children immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund or exchange.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Payless at (800) 654-0697 between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Consumers can also visit the firm’s Web site at www.payless.com

Battat Inc. Recalls Parents® Magazine Toy Cell Phones for Choking Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Parents® Magazine Record-A-Voice Toy Cell Phones

Units: About 300,000

Manufacturer: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, New York

Hazard: The metal pin inside the hinge of the cell phone flip-top can fall out, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 54 reports of the metal pin falling out of the hinge. In two cases, consumers reported finding the pin inside a child’s mouth, with one child receiving a cut in the mouth.

Description: The toy cell phone plays different songs, sound effects and user recorded messages. They were sold in polka dot, swirl, floral and stripe patterns, and the Parents® logo is visible inside the flip-top and on the battery compartment cover. Only items bearing date codes 090106 through 101206 are involved in this recall. The date code can be located on the bottom of the product packaging and in the battery compartment.

Sold by: Target stores nationwide from September 2006 to January 2007 for about $8.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should take these toy cell phones away from young children immediately and contact Battat to receive a replacement product or refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Battat, Inc. at (800) 247-6144 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or e-mail the firm at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fall Hazard Prompts NHTSA, CPSC and Evenflo to Announce Recall of Embrace™ Infant Car Seat/Carriers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in cooperation with Evenflo Company Inc., today announced a recall of the following consumer product.

Name of product: Evenflo Embrace™ Infant Car Seat/Carriers

Units: About 450,000

Manufacturer: Evenflo Company Inc., of Vandalia, Ohio

Hazard: When used as an infant carrier, the handle can unexpectedly release, causing the seat to rotate forward. When this happens, an infant inside the carrier can fall to the ground and suffer serious injuries.

Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 679 reports of the handle on the car seat/carriers unexpectedly releasing, resulting in 160 injuries to children. These reports include a skull fracture, two concussions, cuts, scrapes and bruises.

Description: The recall involves Evenflo Embrace™ Infant Car Seat/Carriers made before April 8, 2006. The recalled car seat/carriers have model numbers beginning with 317, 320, 397, 398, 540, 548, 549, 550, 556, 597, 598 or 599. The model number and production date information can be found on a white label on the bottom of the carrier and on the top of the convenience base. Models beginning with “5” are units sold with the travel system (compatible stroller). “Evenflo” is on the carrying handle and car seat base. Embrace™ infant car seat/carriers made on or after April 8, 2006 are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Department and juvenile products stores nationwide sold the car seat/carriers from December 2004 through September 2006 for between $70 and $100 when sold alone and between $140 and $200 when sold with a compatible stroller.

Manufactured in: United States and China

Remedy: Consumers should not use the handle until the repair kit has been installed. The product can continue to be used as a car seat when secured in a vehicle. Contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit that strengthens the handle latch. Recall notice will be sent to all registered owners of the recalled product. The recalled units should not be returned to the retailer.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 490-7497 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the recall website at www.embracehandle.com

This page only lists some of the recent recalls of potentially dangerous products. To find out about other product recalls, visit the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission website at www.cpsc.gov.