Recall: Home Heating & Air Conditioning Components Recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 18, 1999 Release # 99-158

Company Phone Number: (888) 556-0125 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052 Trane Contact: Sharon Brogdon, (903)581-3568

CPSC, The Trane Company and American Standard Inc. Announce Recall of Home Heating and Air Conditioning Components

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Trane Company, of Tyler, Texas, a division of American Standard Inc., is voluntarily recalling 9,900 accessory electric heaters. These heaters are used to provide supplemental heat in heat pump or electric heating systems. Whether in the cooling, fan, heating or off mode, incorrectly routed wires can cause the accessory heater to continually cycle on and off. Excessive heat could catch nearby combustibles on fire.

Trane and American Standard are aware of four reports of heaters continually running. No property damage or injuries were reported.

These auxiliary electric heaters were sold as a component in various models of Trane and American Standard brand air handlers for heating and air conditioning systems. The air handler is the indoor component of the consumer's air conditioning or heating system. The air handler is a painted metal cabinet, which has the Trane or American Standard nameplate on its front. The nameplate provides a list of accessory electric heater model numbers that could be installed in that air handler. The model numbers for the recalled units are BAYHTR1419A and B.

The model numbers for air handlers that may contain the recalled heater units are:

Independent installers of Trane and American Standard equipment sold these accessory heaters nationwide from October 1997 through May 1999 for between $250 and $400.

Consumers should remove any combustible material from around the air handlers with recalled heaters. Consumers with one of these electric heaters should call their local independent Trane or American Standard dealer, listed in your local yellow pages, for a free inspection and repair, if needed. For assistance in locating a local independent dealer, contact Trane at (888) 556-0125 between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday. Consumers also can get information on finding a local dealer online at http://www.trane.com/residential/personaltouch/recall.asp.