The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday the voluntary recall includes about 1.3 million GE, GE Adora, GE Eterna, GE Profile and Hotpoint dishwashers. The machines' heating elements can fail and cause fires. GE has received seven reports of fires, three of which caused extensive property damage. No injuries have been reported.
The dishwashers were sold nationwide from March 2006 through August 2009 for $350 to $850. They came in black, white, bisque, stainless steel and CleanSteel colors and finishes.
The government said people should stop using the dishwashers and immediately disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker. The government said not to return recalled dishwashers to stores where they were purchased but that GE will provide free repairs or rebates toward new dishwashers.
In a speech Thursday, CPSC chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum, credited new consumer safety law with making people safer. The 2008 law and its implementation have "created one of the strongest product safety systems in the world."
"Parents of children who were killed by products that were defective or dangerous wished these new rules were in place years ago," she said in a speech at the National Press Club. "And parents who were once unsure of the safety of the marketplace now have greater confidence that stronger standards and independent testing are in place for children's products."
For more information on the dishwasher recall, people can contact GE at (866) 918-8760 or visit GE's website.
GE is based in Fairfield, Conn.
