| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Ken Giles |
| April 22, 1997 |
(301) 504-7052 |
| Release # 97-108 |
| Schumacher Contact: Don Schumacher, (773)973-1600 Ext. 203 |
|
CPSC, Schumacher Announce Recall of Sears Battery Chargers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Schumacher Electric Corp. of Chicago, Ill., is recalling about 100,000 Sears DieHard battery chargers. The battery charger has a wiring connection that could short and cause the transformer to overheat. This poses a potential fire hazard.
CPSC is aware of one alleged incident of a fire involving this battery charger. No injuries resulted.
The Sears Die Hard battery charger being recalled is model number 200.71310 manufactured between January 1996 and February 1997. The model number is located on the front of the charger and the date code (H961 through H972) is molded into the plastic base on the bottom of the charger. Labeling on the front of the charger reads in part, "Sears...Die Hard...Fully Automatic Battery Charger Engine Starter." Battery chargers that have a white sticker on the back of the charger displaying number 1682 have already been modified and are not involved in this recall.
Sears Automotive Centers, Sears Hardware stores, and Sears Dealer stores sold these battery chargers from January 1996 through February 1997 for about $65.
Consumers should immediately stop using these battery chargers and return them to the nearest Sears Auto Center, Sears Hardware store, or Sears Dealer store for a free replacement. For more information about this recall, consumers should call 1-800-SEARS64.
No other Sears battery chargers are involved in this recall.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals - contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @OnSafety or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.