Viking Range Recalls Dishwashers Following Fire Reports

Viking Range just issued a recall of its dishwashers, following reports of fire, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

About 2,000 Viking dishwashers are involved in the recall due to an electrical component in the Viking dishwasher that can overheat, which poses a fire hazard.

The recalled Viking dishwashers were manufactured in the United States by Viking Range Corporation of Greenwood, Mississippi and sold at appliance and specialty retail stores, nationwide, from June 2010 through March 2012. The recalled Viking dishwashers retailed for between $1,425 and $2,000 each.

To date, Viking has received 21 reports of incidents, including five reports of property damage from fires. No injuries have been reported.

This recall includes Viking 24-inch Professional, Designer, and Custom Panel dishwashers that were manufactured between May and September 2010. The Viking dishwashers involved in the recall were sold in black, white, and 24 other custom colors, as well as in stainless steel and with custom wood panels.

The name “Viking” appears on the control panel at the top of the door. The model and serial number are located on the identification plate mounted on the inside of the recalled dishwasher on the left side of the door opening. The first six numbers in the serial number are the manufacture date in mmddyy format—for example: serial number 052610 was manufactured on May 26, 2010.

Model and manufacture dates included in this recall are Model Numbers that start with DDB325, DFB450, VDB325, or VDB450, and Date Codes (the first six digits of the serial number) 052610 through 091510. Model numbers ending with an E are not included on the recall.

The firm advises consumers to immediately stop using the recalled Viking dishwashers and contact Viking’s hotline for a free in-home repair. Viking can be reached, toll-free, at 1.800.231.7239, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, or at Viking’s web site at www.vikingrange.com.

Viking Range previously recalled about 45,000 of its Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator/Freezers and Refrigerators with Bottom Freezers because the appliance’s doors could detach, posing an injury hazard to consumers. At the time of that recall, Viking received about 57 reports of doors detaching, including four of injuries involving bruises, broken toes/fingers, and strains. Also, several incidents of minor damage to floors and counters were also reported.